Interpol Warns Of New Threats To Emerge In The Metaverse

The metaverse is here and web 3.0 is just getting started. As companies begin to embrace a merger of our physical and digital realities, we can expect to see a lot of new virtual worlds in the near-future.

While exploring uncharted digital territories with swanky headgear and sensors sounds fun, life in the metaverse comes with its own set of risks.

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New dangers in the metaverse

Interpol, the global police agency has said that it is gearing up for new risks that might emerge out of the metaverse. New types of cybercrime could show up and the scale of existing crimes could become heightened.

Madan Oberoi, Interpol’s executive director for technology and innovation told Reuters that Interpol’s member countries have raised concerns over possible crime in the metaverse.

Also read: What Are ‘Tamagotchi Kids,’ The Virtual Replacement For Children In The Metaverse?

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“Some of the crimes may be new to this medium, some of the existing crimes will be enabled by the medium and taken to a new level,” he told Reuters.

When augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are involved, phishing and scams could operate on a new level; and safety of children could be compromised, Oberoi said.

It gets worse! Terrorists could also use metaverse tech to “simulate and launch their exercises before attacking,” he said.

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Just earlier this month, European Union’s Europol said that terror groups might use virtual environments to spread propaganda, to recruit, and to train. In addition, the report claimed that users may create virtual worlds that have “extremist rules.”

Also read: The Million-dollar Rise Of ‘Chief Metaverse Officers’: Who Are They & What Do They Do?

What do you think about the dangers of metaverse? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

References

Kartit, D., Howcroft, E., & Howcroft, E. (2022, October 28). Interpol says metaverse opens up new world of cybercrime. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/technology/interpol-says-metaverse-opens-up-new-world-cybercrime-2022-10-27/