The Metaverse Will Have An Impact On Privacy & Security

The Metaverse can be described as a three-dimensional virtual space where users can engage in social interactions and also interact with their virtual surroundings using advanced human-computer interface (HCI) technology. In futurism and science fiction, it is often described as a hypothetical iteration of the Internet as a single, universal virtual world that is facilitated by the use of virtual and augmented reality headsets.

Essentially a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection, the Metaverse has engaged the attention of Mark Zuckerberg, who wants to dominate the evolution of social media. 

As virtual worlds and augmented reality platforms develop into the Metaverse, users and businesses swill be presented with entirely new categories of security risks and pitfalls. The concept of a 3D virtual environment where users can interact and socialize has existed for some time, but the Metaverse has moved to the centre stage since Facebook rebranded to Meta  and made a large bet on bringing the technology to both consumers and enterprises. Other technology companies have followed suit. 

Some experts predict that as the metaverse develops, security flaws that have not hitherto been considered by most will become common risks. If data privacy is a problem in today’s 2D, Web 2.0 world, then the embodied Internet of the Metaverse add a much more complex dimension to the challenge.  

The Metaverse is an immersive virtual reality version of the Internet where people can interact with digital objects and digital representations of themselves and others and can move more or less freely from one virtual environment to another. As it is an evolving technology, safeguarding privacy online is of utmost importance. Combined digital and genuine reality will generate vast amounts of information and we can expect many new ways to process and work with this data will be found. As a consequence, it is important to understand how to deal with various privacy issues that come along with this technology.

Regulation Of Data Privacy

Around 45% of the world’s population have access to Social Media and since governments have yet to develop meaningful restrictions or regulations regarding social media data use, it is impossible to estimate the amount of information that accumulates on users. 

In recent years we have witnessed an increase in phishing attempts, botnets, and malware distributed via social media for the purpose of collecting sensitive information. These challenges are unlikely to disappear with the advent of the Metaverse and we might have to prepare for the exact opposite, a world where our personal data will be more exposed than ever before. 

Furthermore, there is the issue of the Metaverse’ hardware and related devices to consider. Metaverse users will probably need to use different devices to collect data that have never been collected before:

• In the current state of the development of the Metaverse, most proponents propose a new set of hardware technologies. In order to obtain the best results, an eyepiece will capture both eye and head movements in order to give the complete picture. 

• Additionally, they will also collect data on facial reactions and hand movements. Besides fingerprints, this hardware will also be able to capture iris biometrics.

This new data will offer a variety of new insights, but it also poses a complex challenge when it comes to securing private information.

The Metaverse is not yet a major part of our reality, but many companies, including Google and Facebook, are busy working  to make it one. In this context it is important  to remember that security and privacy concerns will  will require heightened comprehensive attention.

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