A woman claimed she was virtually raped by a stranger in the metaverse, and specifically in the virtual reality space Horizon's World.
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The researcher investigating the platform of SumOfUs, a non-profit organization that seeks to limit the power of big corporations, claimed that the virtual attack occurred while other users were “watching and drinking a bottle of vodka.”
Several other incidents have occurred according to the report: an anonymous beta tester claimed that her "avatar was groped by a stranger" in the Worlds beta test, while other reports have documented simulated groping and ejaculation, as well as verbal and sexual harassment.
“The SumOfUs researcher noted how quickly she encountered sexual assault on the platformafter another user encouraged her to disable her personal boundary setting. She noted that when another user touches you, the hand controls vibrate, creating a very disorienting and even disturbing physical experience during a virtual assault,” the report states.
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Regarding the experience of the woman being raped via VR, the researcher said: "It happened so fast that it threw me off balance. Part of my brain was thinking what the hell was going on, part of my brain was thinking that this wasn't my real body, and part of my brain was thinking that this was important research."
In December of last year, Nina Jane Patel, a psychotherapist who conducts research on the metaverse, also wrote a post about the “surreal nightmare” of “gang rape” at Horizon Venues.
Following this, Meta added a feature to its virtual reality platforms, setting a “distance of nearly four feet” between one user and another. While these reported actions were taken, Meta’s personal boundary was not activated.
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In a statement, Meta said: “In Horizon Worlds, Personal Boundary is a default distance limit of approximately four feet, making it easier to avoid unwanted interactions. We do not recommend disabling the safety feature with people you do not know. We want everyone who uses products to have a good experience and to easily find the tools that can help in situations like these, so we can investigate them and take action.”
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said the metaverse will be the future of his company, planning to release four new virtual reality headsets in the coming years. Zuckerberg reportedly called the technology a “holy grail” device that will “redefine our relationship with technology.”
