Expert’s Insights on protecting users on Metaverse

By Shatadru Sarkar, Co-founder of Metastar Media,” All spaces where people gather and interact, be it virtual or IRL, need a certain level of monitoring to ensure the security of all participants. This particular incident is akin to online sexual harassment or cyber bullying and there are laws in the country to address such situations.

Metaverse platforms have a code of conduct in place and can track avatar behavior, identify violations in real time, and eject repeat offenders from a platform.

While such instances are uncalled for, however, at the end of the day, virtual reality is just an immersive digital experience, and the user can choose to end any experience at any time with a press of a button.

 By Advocate Dr Rennie Joyy,” A teenage girl, immersed in a virtual reality game, faced emotional trauma after allegedly being assaulted (virtual gang rape) by a group of men, despite no physical injuries. Concerns arise about the potential real-world impact of such virtual experiences, prompting the need for new laws addressing online crimes against women. This case is the first virtual sexual offense under investigation by law enforcement, highlighting the urgency of regulatory measures in this evolving digital landscape.

Several legal issues surrounding virtual sexual offenses in immersive games need urgent attention like Consent and Boundaries: *Establishing clear guidelines for virtual interactions to ensure that consent is respected within virtual environments, similar to real-world settings.

Jurisdictional Challenges: Determining the appropriate legal jurisdiction when offenses occur in virtual spaces hosted by multinational companies, ensuring effective law enforcement across borders.

Trauma Recognition and Support: Establishing legal frameworks for recognizing and addressing emotional trauma resulting from virtual offenses, with provisions for counseling and support services.”