The following is excerpted from an online article posted by ScienceDaily.
The metaverse, a space where the lines between physical and digital realities blur, is rising among younger populations. As of March, 33% of teens own a virtual reality (VR) device and 13% use it weekly.
With the metaverse offering richer emotional experiences, youth may be particularly vulnerable to significant harm in these immersive spaces, underscoring the need to explore potential risks.
Unfortunately, research of online victimization in the metaverse is sorely lacking. A new study by Florida Atlantic University, in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, is one of the first to examine the experiences of harm in the metaverse among youth in the United States. Using a nationally-representative sample of 5,005 13 to 17 year olds in the U.S., researchers focused on their experiences with VR devices, including 12 specific types of harm experienced, protective strategies employed, and differences in experiences between boys and girls.
Results of the study, published in the journal New Media & Society, found a significant percentage of youth reported experiencing various forms of harm in these spaces, including hate speech, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, grooming behaviors (predators building trust with minors), and unwanted exposure to violent or sexual content.
The study also revealed notable gender differences in experiences.
Among the study findings:
- 32.6% of youth own a VR headset (41% of boys vs. 25.1% of girls)
- More than 44% received hate speech/slurs (8.9% many times); 37.6% experienced bullying; and 35% faced harassment
- Almost 19% experienced sexual harassment; 43.3% dealt with trolling; 31.6% were maliciously obstructed; and 29.5% experienced threats
- More than 18% were doxed (publicly revealing someone’s personal information without their consent); and 22.8% were catfished (creating a false identity online to deceive someone, typically for romantic purposes)
- Nearly 21% faced unwanted violent or sexual content; 18.1% experienced grooming or predatory behavior; and 30% were targeted for factors like weight, sexual preference, sexual orientation or political affiliation
- Boys and girls experienced similar patterns of mistreatment, but girls experienced sexual harassment and grooming/predatory behavior more frequently than boys. Boys and girls were equally as likely to be targeted because of their voice, avatar, race, religion or disability.
Source: ScienceDaily
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241022104454.htm
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