The dark side of the metaverse and how to fight it, Cointelegraph interview

The metaverse is a new and exciting frontier, but it also has a dark side. Just like the real world, the metaverse is susceptible to crime, abuse, and other harmful behaviors.

In this Cointelegraph interview, Next Earth's David Taylor and ActiveFence's Tomer Poran discuss the dark side of the metaverse and how to fight it.

What are some of the dark side of the metaverse?

Taylor: There are a number of dark side of the metaverse, including:

• Crime: The metaverse is a new and largely unregulated frontier, which makes it an attractive target for criminals. Some of the types of crime that could occur in the metaverse include fraud, theft, and even assault.
• Abuse: The metaverse is also a place where people can be harassed and abused. This can include verbal abuse, sexual harassment, and even bullying.
• Data exploitation: The metaverse will generate a vast amount of data about its users. This data could be exploited by companies or governments to track and manipulate people.

Poran: In addition to what David mentioned, I would also add that the metaverse could be used to spread misinformation and propaganda. It could also be used to create addictive and harmful experiences.

How can we fight the dark side of the metaverse?

Taylor: There are a number of things that we can do to fight the dark side of the metaverse, including:

• Education: One of the most important things we can do is to educate people about the risks of the metaverse. People need to be aware of the potential for crime, abuse, and data exploitation.
• Regulation: We also need to develop regulations for the metaverse. These regulations should be designed to protect users from harm and to ensure that the metaverse is used for good.
• Technology: We also need to develop new technologies to help protect users in the metaverse. This could include things like AI-powered moderation tools and new ways to verify user identities.

Poran: I would also add that it is important to build the metaverse in a responsible and ethical way. We need to design the metaverse with user safety in mind. We also need to be transparent about how we are collecting and using user data.

What are some of the challenges of fighting the dark side of the metaverse?

Taylor: One of the biggest challenges is that the metaverse is still under development. This means that the rules and norms of the metaverse are still being established.

Another challenge is that the metaverse is global. This means that it will be difficult to coordinate efforts to fight the dark side of the metaverse.

Poran: I would also add that the metaverse is constantly evolving. This means that new threats will emerge over time. We need to be vigilant and adaptable in our efforts to fight the dark side of the metaverse.

The metaverse is a new and exciting frontier, but it also has a dark side. It is important to be aware of the risks of the metaverse and to take steps to protect yourself.

We can all play a role in fighting the dark side of the metaverse. By educating ourselves, advocating for regulation, and supporting responsible development, we can help to create a safer and more ethical metaverse for everyone.

Additional thoughts

In addition to the challenges mentioned by Taylor and Poran, I would also add that the following are some of the challenges of fighting the dark side of the metaverse:

• Anonymity: The metaverse allows users to be anonymous. This can make it difficult to track down and prosecute criminals.
• Jurisdiction: The metaverse is a global space. This means that it can be difficult to determine which jurisdiction has jurisdiction over crimes that occur in the metaverse.
• Resources: Fighting the dark side of the metaverse will require significant resources. It is not clear who will be responsible for providing these resources.

Despite these challenges, it is important to fight the dark side of the metaverse. The metaverse has the potential to be a great force for good in the world, but only if it is safe and ethical.