The metaverse has provoked discussions that go beyond the technology barrier and reach the social sphere. Now, in addition to concerns about the usability of virtual reality features, law and security have also become hot topics. To the BBC, the secretary general of Interpol, Jurgen Stock, said that the agency is keeping an eye on this new moment on the internet.
Criminals are exploiting any new technology that helps them turn a quick profit.
My message to @BBCClick: Whenever new technology is being developed, we need to consider security by design. https://t.co/QCb7uMexKC
Last year, Interpol built its own virtual reality space, where agents can do training and metaverse meetings. However, the actions of the global police agency do not stop there. Jurgen Stock commented that Interpol is widely discussing the concept of the metaverse and the issues pertaining to it. For him, the agency always needs to update itself so as not to fall behind.
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According to the secretary, “criminals are sophisticated and professionals in adapting quickly to any new technological tool available to commit crimes”.
For Stock, traditional institutions and even legislators may be lagging behind technological advances. In this way, he believes that the presence of authorities can give users a greater sense of trust.
Interpol wants to detail definitions of crime in the metaverse
For Madan Oberoi, executive director of technology and innovation at Interpol, there is difficulty in defining what a crime is in the metaverse. According to him, it is still unknown what is not considered a crime in virtual space.
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“We don’t know if we can call them a crime or not, but these threats definitely exist, so these issues still need to be resolved,” he says.
As Stock says, Oberoi also believes that official bodies and agents need to understand and insert themselves into the metaverse to provide a greater sense of security for people.
“My commonly used example is that if you need to save a drowning person, you need to know how to swim. Likewise, if law enforcement is interested in helping people who have been injured in the metaverse, they need to know about the metaverse. And that is one of our goals, to ensure that law enforcement personnel start using the metaverse and are aware,” he added.
Interpol wants agents inside the metaverse; understand (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP)
