The NSPCC says companies should “act immediately” as police are reportedly investigating a case in which a gang of adult men sexually assaulted a girl’s digital persona in an “immersive” video game.

British police are reportedly investigating the sexual assault of a child avatar in the metaverse – prompting the NSPCC to warn that tech companies need to do more to protect young users.

Online bullying is linked to physical abuse in the real world and can have a devastating impact on victims, the charity’s campaigners said. The comments were made in response to a report published by the Mail Online, which said police were investigating a case in which a young girl’s digital persona was sexually assaulted by a gang of adult men in an immersive video game.

It is believed to be the first investigation by a UK police force into a sexual offense committed in virtual reality. According to the report, the victim, a girl aged under 16, was traumatised by the experience while wearing an augmented reality headset. The metaverse is a 3D model of the internet, where users exist and interact with each other as avatars – digital versions of themselves that they create and control.

Around 21% of children aged five to ten owned a virtual reality (VR) headset in 2022 – and 6% of them engaged regularly with virtual reality, according to the latest data published by the Institute of Engineering and Technology.

Richard Collard, NSPCC co-lead for online child safety policy, said: “Online sexual abuse has a devastating impact on children – and in immersive environments where the senses are heightened, the injuries can be experienced in a way very similar to the ‘real world’.”
He added that technology companies are introducing products at a rapid pace without prioritizing the safety of children on their platforms.
“Companies must act now and step up their efforts to protect children from abuse in virtual reality spaces,” Mr Collard said.
“Technology companies must see and understand the harms taking place in their services, and that law enforcement has access to all the evidence and resources they need to protect children.”

In a report published in September, the NSPCC urged the government to provide guidance and funding for police officers dealing with virtual reality crime.

The charity has also called for the Online Safety Act to be regularly reviewed to ensure that emerging harms are brought within the scope of the law.

Forrás: Sky News