The World Economic Forum is worried about the safety of children in the metaverse. Problems arise due to the profiles’ anonymity.
The annual World Economic Forum (WEF) during Davos 2022 discussed teenagers’ safety in the metaverse and the need to create a supportive environment for young users.
Interest in metaverses has skyrocketed as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions. Teenagers have begun to spend more time on mobile devices. The online multiplayer platform Roblox, for example, has about 55 million daily users, 67% of whom are teens under the age of 16. Given the anonymity of profiles in virtual space, “children are witnessing abuse that affects their mental health,” according to WEF analysts.
A study by marketing agency Wunderman Thompson found that 77% of parents familiar with the metaverse are concerned about their children’s privacy in the space. What’s more, 66% of them are worried about their kids’ safety in the virtual world. Because of this, game creators are already developing more child-friendly spaces for young users. A number of measures are also planned to improve the safety of children’s virtual experiences. The main tool may be the definition of privacy and advertising standards.
Recall that analyst firm Gartner predicts that a quarter of the world’s population by 2026 will play different aspects of daily life in digital worlds.
