The U.K.'s Online Safety Bill, legislation that aims to protect users in various online activities, needs to be amended to include provisions for immersive online experiences using VR technology.
Immersive online activities can be harmful due to a lack of supervision, new means of harassment, and desensitization, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), one of the largest engineering institutions, warns.
The Online Safety Bill can be used as a framework for regulating immersive technologies, but it needs to be amended to address the unique features of immersive technology.
- The current definition of content in the bill does not adequately protect users from harmful immersive experiences.
- The bill needs to be amended to keep users safe in the metaverse and other experiential environments.
- Children increasingly use VR technology, with 6% between 5-10 using it regularly, IET data reveals.
