Sexual violence in the metaverse: The risk digitization already faces

The metaverse is postulated as the post-reality virtual world in which we will ‘live’ in the future. Everything indicates that it will be the space where the population moves, buys and even falls in love. A very attractive idea that also carries its risks. Last year the British citizen Nina Jane Patel denounced that the avatar she had created in the metaverse had suffered a virtual violation, a fact that has called into question the security in the space created by Neal Stephenson.



The metaverse, that word he named Tamara Falco In his speech after the scandal about his partner’s infidelity, the businessman Inigo Onieva. The truth is that the post-reality virtual world seems to be the environment in which we will move in the future. The digital revolution is here to stay and everything indicates that it will be in the metaverse where we will meet, eat and even fall in love.

Although the metaverse, that concept created by the writer Neal Stephenson and that mark zuckerberg, promises to be a very attractive environment carries its risks. The company specialized in cybersecurity Kaspersky has assured that establishing personal relationships in the metaverse could lead to suffering robberies and including sexual assaults.

virtual rape

While the idea of ​​metaverse sexual assault may seem crazy to many, it has already happened. Last year the British citizen Nina Jane Patel He reported that the avatar he had created in the metaverse had suffered a virtual violation after 60 seconds of being connected. “Three or four male avatars, with male voices, they virtually raped my avatar and they took photos.

A woman denounced that she was virtually raped in the metaverse of Facebook - Forbes Argentina

Nina Jane Patel.

Nina Jane Patel, a 43-year-old researcher conducting a study for Kabuki Ventures, a company geared toward immersive technology, tapped into the metaverse. ‘Horizon World’. According to her testimony, she was “taken to a room where she performed the sexual act even though it was not consensual.” In addition, Patel stressed that she was “confused” and disoriented”. After being attacked, her avatars rebuked her with comments like “don’t pretend you didn’t like it” either “go touch yourself with the photo”.

Patel decided to share her experience on social networks, although the responses she received from various profiles were not what she expected. “The solution is that you don’t wear a female avatar” or “don’t be stupid, that’s not real” were some of them. The episode that Patel suffered was picked up by the report ‘Metaverse: another cesspool of toxic content’ Made by the SumOfUs organization in which the ‘other face’ of the virtual world is shown.

Lack of security

After the incident, the investigator stated that “there is a lack of security” and that “the most worrisome side will be that of our children when they start using the metaverse.” Given this experience, various users have requested that a setting in which avatars could be less than a meter away be deactivated. sexual assaults, various cybersecurity experts have pointed out that the metaverse can become a free environment for cybercriminals, in which as much happens child abuse or use of child pornography.

Mark Zuckerberg's Road To 'Owning The Entire Metaverse' Is Bumpy - Forbes UK

Mark Zuckerberg.

The latest scandals around the metaverse have opened the debate about the lack of security for users of the virtual environment. The president of the Center for Countering Digital, Imran Ahmed, explained that “when his CEO, mark zuckerberg, launched it, ensured that privacy and security would be at the center of virtual reality. However, our investigations indicate that contrary to what he promised, the metaverse is an oasis for hate and pornography. According to our study, it connects users with predators, thus exposing them to potentially dangerous content every seven minutes.”.

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Sexual violence in the metaverse: The risk digitization already faces