The Idea of Law Enforcement in the Metaverse

The metaverse presents an immersive virtual world where human digital twins interact and mimic everyday social life. Augmented and virtual reality equipment create real-life sensations for the realization of normal stimuli and corresponding responses. However, like any social construct, the potential of experiencing metaverse crime exists, and there is a need to understand what measures need to be in place. First, let us understand why there is crime potential in the metaverse. Metaverses Mimic Real World Human Experiences Metaverse platforms such as Meta take user interaction from the webpages where written words, audio-visual and automated reactions define social experiences. They allow users to get first-hand experience by entering the spaces as avatars that see and engage with other users as people do in real life. The digital twins own property in the form of NFTs, which allow them to trade in decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). The digital space with such social interactions carries the danger of exposure to criminal activity such as cyberbullying, assault, and theft. The metaverse crime rate can only reach the highest levels given the lack of defined policing measures that keep up with the evolving technology. The role of policing and law enforcement in the metaverse remains an open-ended question where potential policing objectives and outcomes include: Company-based Monitoring Measures against Aggressive Be...