POSTbrief: What is the metaverse and what impacts will it have for society? – Dr Pin Lean Lau

"While realistic interactions between users and virtual objects in the metaverse may benefit education, healthcare, business, and other sectors, such believable virtual worlds may also have drawbacks. In early 2024, UK police investigated an alleged sexual assault that occurred in the metaverse," we read in a POSTbrief published last week. This research briefing for the UK's Parliament explores the societal impacts of the metaverse and includes contributions from Dr Pin Lean Lau (Brunel Law School) on legal questions and cybersecurity.

Key points:

• Unlike previous online worlds, the metaverse offers enhanced immersion, creating a believable virtual experience.

• Metaverse is predicted to be the next evolution of the internet, with projections suggesting a quarter of people will spend at least an hour daily in the metaverse by 2026.

• Its global value could exceed £1 trillion by 2030. The metaverse integrates artificial intelligence as a core technology.

• While it could benefit sectors like education, healthcare, and business, the metaverse also has potential drawbacks. In early 2024, UK police investigated an alleged sexual assault in the metaverse. 

• Technologies that currently drive the increasing sophistication of internet-enabled fraud, such as artificial intelligence, are also technologies that are important to the metaverse.

• Early research indicates that exposure to virtual worlds may negatively impact decision-making and reasoning for some users. Safeguarding children in the metaverse is challenging due to limited detection and prevention capabilities.

• Current UK laws may address some legal issues in the metaverse, but their applicability remains largely untested in courts.

  Read the full POST brief.

Reported by:

Eliza Kania
eliza.kania@brunel.ac.uk