Lawmakers in the upper house of the U.K. Parliament have reached an agreement that the Online Safety Bill, designed to protect children from online harm, will also apply to the metaverse. The bill, introduced on March 17, is currently in the final stages of approval before becoming law.
Metaverse UK Lawmakers Agree to Apply Online Safety Bill Regulations
The metaverse, encompassing a range of virtual realities, has gained substantial popularity in recent years, with major social media platforms Facebook even rebranding itself as Meta to emphasize its commitment to the development of this sector. However, regulators have raised concerns about the potential risks to child safety associated with these virtual worlds.
Melanie Dawes, the CEO of Ofcom, Metaverse UK’s communications regulator, highlighted during an event in October that these immersive virtual reality experiences can create both intense enjoyment and potential harm. Recognizing this, the Metaverse UK. House of Lords argued that it was crucial to extend the Online Safety Bill to encompass the metaverse.
Research conducted by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, which involved analyzing 100 visits to the popular worlds within Meta’s flagship platform, Horizon Worlds, revealed that minors often face harassment in these virtual environments.
By including the metaverse in the scope of the Online Safety Bill, Metaverse UK lawmakers aim to address the potential risks and ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to protect children in virtual reality experiences.
The extension of the Online Safety Bill to cover the metaverse demonstrates a proactive approach by U.K. lawmakers in safeguarding the well-being of young users and promoting a safer online environment.
“The metaverse is in the scope of the bill, which, as noble Lords know, has been designed to be technology neutral and future-proofed to ensure that it keeps pace with emerging technologies,” Lord Stephen Parkinson who is also a minister at the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, said at a Wednesday debate on the bill. The department was also responsible for ushering in the Online Safety Bill.”
%s Comment