A tech executive is warning of the risks of the Metaverse after claiming she was “gang raped.”
Nina Patel, a psychotherapist and start-up co-founder of Kabuni, an academic site, said she was targeted by 4 anonymous and supposedly male attackers, merely for appearing online with a female avatar — just 60 seconds after signing up for the primary time.
One, she recalled, even said, “Don’t pretend you didn’t find it irresistible.”
“They relentlessly harassed me after which proceeded to (what can only be described) because the sexual assault of my avatar,” the virtual victim told the Every day Mail, describing the violent encounter as “surreal” and “horrible.”
The attack occurred contained in the virtual reality game called Horizon Worlds, operated by Meta. The assailants yelled obscenities at her and took photos of her avatar while subjecting her to the ritual humiliation, Patel said.
She added: “Their behavior was offensive and disturbing.”
Patel said that anonymity and lack of accountability in VR spaces are partly guilty for the plight she suffered.
“Some people may engage in such offensive behaviors in VR settings because they feel detached from their real-world identities and consider they will act without facing any repercussions,” said Patel, an early adopter of VR technology.
“One other issue potentially is that on some VR platforms, aggressive and violent behavior is inspired and rewarded.”
While virtual reality is artificial, the real-life ramifications usually are not — Patel argues that the aftermath can have “profound emotional and psychological impacts.”
“The intensity of experiences within the Metaverse can mirror the emotions felt within the physical world resulting from the immersive nature of those environments,” she said.
“This could result in real trauma and psychological distress akin to those experienced in physical assaults.”
Patel’s harrowing experiences coincides with the same case of a teenage girl in Britain, who contacted the police after she was assaulted within the metaverse. Law enforcement officials compared her psychological trauma to that of somebody physically assaulted, resulting from the immersive nature of VR.
“The girl [who reported her attack to the police] may be very brave, and he or she is on a latest frontier,” Patel applauded.
“Bringing this to the eye of the police would have been no easy task, and he or she is breaking ground together with her actions. While we don’t know where it should lead, it’s a step in the proper direction.”
A researcher from the non-profit SumOfUs, which published a report concerning the “rampant” harassment and abuse within the Metaverse and the dearth of motion against users who broke the sport’s rules — was attacked inside an hour of joining the VR space.
“It happened so fast I form of disassociated,” the anonymous researcher said. One a part of my brain was like wtf is occurring, the opposite part was like this isn’t an actual body, and one other part was like, this is very important research.”
A Meta representative said that the attack was a results of not turning on the “Personal Boundary” feature; when activated, it doesn’t allow non-friends to return inside 4 feet of your character.
Patel, nonetheless, couldn’t activate hers in time because she “froze.”
“Most users of virtual reality have reported they’d encountered racism, homophobia, and sexual harassment, either directed at them personally or at others,” Patel said.
“When someone is in a VR environment, their brain often perceives the experiences as real, they usually may feel real emotions equivalent to excitement, fear, joy, or perhaps a sense of presence within the virtual world.”
While negative experiences might “deter” others, Patel as an alternative insists she’s focused on the “potential advantages of the Metaverse,” while also highlighting the necessity for more safety measures and “responsible design.”
“Today, we discover ourselves at a critical juncture where now we have the chance to determine the muse for a Metaverse that brings more positive impact than harm,” she said, hoping her story can “advocate for a safer Metaverse.”
Until then, Patel isn’t convinced the violent behaviors within the virtual world will stop.
“I’m not the primary, and the British girl who recently experienced it and brought it to the police is not going to be the last,” she said.
A tech executive is warning of the risks of the Metaverse after claiming she was “gang raped.”
Nina Patel, a psychotherapist and start-up co-founder of Kabuni, an academic site, said she was targeted by 4 anonymous and supposedly male attackers, merely for appearing online with a female avatar — just 60 seconds after signing up for the primary time.
One, she recalled, even said, “Don’t pretend you didn’t find it irresistible.”
“They relentlessly harassed me after which proceeded to (what can only be described) because the sexual assault of my avatar,” the virtual victim told the Every day Mail, describing the violent encounter as “surreal” and “horrible.”
The attack occurred contained in the virtual reality game called Horizon Worlds, operated by Meta. The assailants yelled obscenities at her and took photos of her avatar while subjecting her to the ritual humiliation, Patel said.
She added: “Their behavior was offensive and disturbing.”
Patel said that anonymity and lack of accountability in VR spaces are partly guilty for the plight she suffered.
“Some people may engage in such offensive behaviors in VR settings because they feel detached from their real-world identities and consider they will act without facing any repercussions,” said Patel, an early adopter of VR technology.
“One other issue potentially is that on some VR platforms, aggressive and violent behavior is inspired and rewarded.”
While virtual reality is artificial, the real-life ramifications usually are not — Patel argues that the aftermath can have “profound emotional and psychological impacts.”
“The intensity of experiences within the Metaverse can mirror the emotions felt within the physical world resulting from the immersive nature of those environments,” she said.
“This could result in real trauma and psychological distress akin to those experienced in physical assaults.”
Patel’s harrowing experiences coincides with the same case of a teenage girl in Britain, who contacted the police after she was assaulted within the metaverse. Law enforcement officials compared her psychological trauma to that of somebody physically assaulted, resulting from the immersive nature of VR.
“The girl [who reported her attack to the police] may be very brave, and he or she is on a latest frontier,” Patel applauded.
“Bringing this to the eye of the police would have been no easy task, and he or she is breaking ground together with her actions. While we don’t know where it should lead, it’s a step in the proper direction.”
A researcher from the non-profit SumOfUs, which published a report concerning the “rampant” harassment and abuse within the Metaverse and the dearth of motion against users who broke the sport’s rules — was attacked inside an hour of joining the VR space.
“It happened so fast I form of disassociated,” the anonymous researcher said. One a part of my brain was like wtf is occurring, the opposite part was like this isn’t an actual body, and one other part was like, this is very important research.”
A Meta representative said that the attack was a results of not turning on the “Personal Boundary” feature; when activated, it doesn’t allow non-friends to return inside 4 feet of your character.
Patel, nonetheless, couldn’t activate hers in time because she “froze.”
“Most users of virtual reality have reported they’d encountered racism, homophobia, and sexual harassment, either directed at them personally or at others,” Patel said.
“When someone is in a VR environment, their brain often perceives the experiences as real, they usually may feel real emotions equivalent to excitement, fear, joy, or perhaps a sense of presence within the virtual world.”
While negative experiences might “deter” others, Patel as an alternative insists she’s focused on the “potential advantages of the Metaverse,” while also highlighting the necessity for more safety measures and “responsible design.”
“Today, we discover ourselves at a critical juncture where now we have the chance to determine the muse for a Metaverse that brings more positive impact than harm,” she said, hoping her story can “advocate for a safer Metaverse.”
Until then, Patel isn’t convinced the violent behaviors within the virtual world will stop.
“I’m not the primary, and the British girl who recently experienced it and brought it to the police is not going to be the last,” she said.
