European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) Letter on Benefits and Challenges for Children in the Metaverse

The
metaverse,
which
is
a
virtual
environment
in
which
individuals
may
connect
with
one
another
and
participate
in
a
variety
of
activities,
has
the
potential
to
provide
youngsters
with
a
great
deal
of
advantages.
Nevertheless,
it
also
offers
issues
that
need
to
be
addressed
in
order
to
safeguard
children
from
the
possibility
of
being
harmed.
These
advantages
and
disadvantages
have
been
investigated
by
the
European
Parliamentary
Research
Service
(EPRS),
which
has
shed
light
on
the
significance
of
ensuring
the
safety
of
minors
involved
in
the
metaverse
phenomenon.

Metaverse
advantages
for
children
include
the
following

Increasing
Creativity:
The
metaverse
gives
children
a
platform
to
explore
their
creativity
via
virtual
experiences,
such
as
developing
and
constructing
their
own
virtual
worlds.
This
fosters
creativity
and
helps
children
develop
their
creative
potential.

Learning
that
is
Motivating
Virtual
worlds
in
the
metaverse
may
be
built
to
provide
children
with
instructional
information
and
interactive
learning
experiences,
which
will
make
learning
more
interesting
and
delightful
for
them.

Children
have
the
opportunity
to
engage
in
social
and
cultural
experiences
by
interacting
with
classmates
who
come
from
a
variety
of
nations,
cultures,
and
backgrounds.
This
helps
to
build
cultural
exchange
and
social
ties.

In
the
Metaverse,
Children
Face
the
Following
Obstacles

Concerns
Regarding
Privacy
The
metaverse
presents
privacy
concerns
since
it
is
possible
for
youngsters
to
reveal
personal
information
without
their
knowledge
or
to
be
confronted
with
data
breaches.
Protecting
the
privacy
of
children
requires
the
implementation
of
more
stringent
privacy
legislation
as
well
as
the
education
of
users.

Exposure
to
Harmful
Content
The
metaverse
has
the
potential
to
expose
children
to
content
that
is
improper
or
harmful,
such
as
content
that
involves
harassing
or
violent
behaviour,
or
behaviours
that
are
addictive.
It
is
of
the
utmost
importance
to
include
safety
measures,
parental
controls,
and
relevant
rules
in
order
to
counteract
hazardous
material.

Child
exploitation
and
online
predators:
Children
who
are
present
in
the
metaverse
have
the
potential
to
become
victims
of
online
predators
or
to
be
exploited
via
the
use
of
frauds,
grooming,
or
improper
interactions.
Educating
youngsters
about
the
dangers
of
using
the
internet
and
ensuring
that
adequate
safety
measures
are
in
place
are
necessities.

Attempts
to
Ensure
the
Safety
of
Children
Within
the
Metaverse

European
Union
Initiatives:
The
European
Union
has
taken
measures
to
safeguard
children
in
virtual
worlds,
including
the
introduction
of
rules
such
as
the
General
Data
Protection
Regulation
(GDPR)
and
the
ePrivacy
Directive.
These
regulations
are
examples
of
the
initiative
that
the
EU
has
taken.
The
purpose
of
these
restrictions
is
to
protect
the
privacy
of
children
and
to
restrict
the
amount
of
hazardous
information
that
they
are
exposed
to.

Companies
that
operate
in
the
metaverse
are
also
taking
precautions
to
safeguard
youngsters.
These
actions
are
being
taken
by
the
private
sector.
In
order
to
make
the
environment
safer
for
minors,
they
are
putting
in
place
age
verification
systems,
safety
measures,
and
content
control.

The
metaverse
presents
children
with
a
number
of
issues
that
need
to
be
handled,
despite
the
fact
that
it
presents
children
with
a
number
of
fascinating
chances
for
imaginative
expression,
learning,
and
social
engagement.
It
is
necessary
for
parents,
legislators,
and
the
corporate
sector
to
work
together
in
order
to
fulfil
the
responsibility
of
protecting
children
in
the
metaverse.
It
is
essential
to
implement
more
stringent
privacy
restrictions,
implement
strong
safety
measures,
and
educate
users
in
order
to
guarantee
that
children
will
have
a
happy
and
secure
experience
when
using
the
metaverse.

Image
source:
Shutterstock

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