What is the metaverse and what impacts will it have for society?

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PB61

Key points

• The metaverse is a range of technologies that allow users to interact with virtual worlds, virtual objects, and each other. While in its infancy, it has received great interest from large technology companies.
• The metaverse differs from prior online worlds by its increased immersion, the state of having “stepped into” a virtual, believable world.
• It is expected to be the next stage in the changing internet, with one report expecting a quarter of all people to spend at least an hour a day in the metaverse by 2026. Its global worth may exceed £1 trillion by 2030.
• The metaverse is said to incorporate aspects of artificial intelligence as one of the foundational technologies.
• While realistic interactions between users and virtual objects in the metaverse may benefit education, healthcare, business and other sectors, such believable virtual worlds may have drawbacks. In early 2024, UK police investigated an alleged sexual assault that occurred 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.
• While metaverse research is in its infancy, there is growing evidence to suggest exposure to virtual worlds may in some cases negatively affect decision-making and reasoning for some users.
• Safeguarding of children who are exposed to metaverse technologies may be difficult to deliver due to a lack of detect and prevent capabilities.
• Current UK laws may cover some but not all aspects of legal issues that present in the metaverse, and applicable law is yet to be tested by the courts.

 Acknowledgments

POSTbriefs are based on literature reviews and interviews with a range of stakeholders and are externally peer reviewed. POST would like to thank interviewees and peer reviewers for kindly giving up their time during the preparation of this briefing, including:

• Paul Martyenko of the POST Board*
• Hugo Barker, Imperial Institute for Science, Security and Technology
• Professor Emma Barrett, University of Manchester
• Professor Mandeep Dhami, Middlesex University
• Professor Kieran Fernandes, Durham University
• Professor Shane Johnson, University College London*
• Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)*
• Professor Timothy Jung, Manchester Metropolitan University*
• Dr Pin Lean Lau, Brunel University*
• Dr Joseph Lee, University of Manchester*
• Professor Neil McDonnell, University of Glasgow*
• Professor Clare McGlynn, Durham University
• National Cyber Security Centre
• Dr Aislinn O’Connell, Royal Holloway, University of London
• Steve Sands, British Computer Society*
• Dr Mandy tom Dieck, Manchester Metropolitan University*
• Professor Yu Xiong, University of Surrey

*denotes people and organisations who acted as external reviewers of the briefing.