Editing Metaverse (section)

=== User safety ===
User addiction and [[problematic social media use]] is another concern. [[Internet addiction disorder]], social media, and [[video game addiction]] can have mental and physical repercussions over a prolonged period of time, such as depression,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Huddleston |first=Tom |date=January 31, 2022 |title='This is creating more loneliness': The metaverse could be a serious problem for kids, experts say |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/31/psychologists-metaverse-could-be-a-problem-for-kids-mental-health.html |access-date=February 2, 2022 |website=CNBC}}</ref> anxiety, and various other harms related to having a [[sedentary lifestyle]] such as an increased risk for [[obesity]] and [[cardiovascular disease]].<ref name=":102" /> Experts are also concerned that the metaverse could be used as an 'escape' from reality in a similar fashion to existing internet technologies.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Evans |first=Woody |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tpRlAgAAQBAJ&dq=woody%20evans&pg=PA95 |title=Information Dynamics in Virtual Worlds |date=2011 |publisher=Chandos |isbn=9781780632742 |access-date=November 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207063211/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Information_Dynamics_in_Virtual_Worlds/tpRlAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=woody+evans&pg=PA95&printsec=frontcover |archive-date=December 7, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Virtual crime|Virtual crimes]]  like [[sex abuse]], [[child grooming]], and harassment are significant challenges within existing virtual reality social platforms, and may be similarly prevalent in the metaverse.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Basu |first=Tanya |date=December 16, 2021 |title=The metaverse has a groping problem already |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/12/16/1042516/the-metaverse-has-a-groping-problem/ |access-date=January 19, 2022 |website=[[MIT Technology Review]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Chalmers |first=David |date=January 28, 2022 |title=What Should Be Considered a Crime in the Metaverse? |url=https://www.wired.com/story/crime-metaverse-virtual-reality/ |magazine=Wired |issn=1059-1028 |access-date=January 28, 2022}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Baker-White |first=Emily |date=February 11, 2022 |title=Meta Wouldn't Tell Us How It Enforces Its Rules In VR, So We Ran A Test To Find Out |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/emilybakerwhite/meta-facebook-horizon-vr-content-rules-test |access-date=March 6, 2022 |website=[[BuzzFeed News]]}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Oremus |first=Will |date=February 7, 2022 |title=Kids are flocking to Facebook's 'metaverse.' Experts worry predators will follow. |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/07/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety/ |access-date=February 18, 2022}}</ref> In February 2022, investigations by BBC News and ''The Washington Post'' found minors engaging in adult activities in applications such as [[VRChat]] and [[Horizon Worlds]] despite an age requirement of 13 years or older.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last1=Crawford |first1=Angus |last2=Smith |first2=Tony |date=February 23, 2022 |title=Metaverse app allows kids into virtual strip clubs |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-60415317 |access-date=March 6, 2022}}</ref>

In an October 2022 interview, Roblox Chief Scientist Morgan McGuire stated that it is "a challenge to moderate 3D", and also compared moderating [[Roblox]] to shutting down [[Speakeasy|speakeasies]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Chmielewski |first1=Dawn |last2=Dastin |first2=Jeffrey |date=October 11, 2022 |title=Roblox says policing virtual world is like 'shutting down speakeasies' |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/reuters-momentum-roblox-says-policing-virtual-world-is-like-shutting-down-2022-10-11/ |access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref>