Facebook's Metaverse Allows Kids into Virtual Strip Clubs

Investigation reveals the dark side of the metaverse.

A new investigation had come to the same conclusion and pointed out the dark side of the metaverse and how kids are not safe in virtual spaces. Some apps in the virtual-reality metaverse are dangerous by design, the NSPCC has warned in response to the investigation.

A researcher posing as a 13-year-old girl witnessed grooming, sexual material, racist insults, and a rape threat in the virtual-reality world. The children’s charity said it was “shocked and angry” at the findings. Head of online child safety policy Andy Burrows added the investigation had found “a toxic combination of risks”.

The metaverse is the name given to games and experiences accessed by people wearing virtual reality headsets. The technology, previously confined to gaming, could be adapted for use in many other areas – from work to play, concerts to cinema trips.

Mark Zuckerberg thinks it could be the future of the internet – so much so, he recently rebranded Facebook as Meta, with the company investing billions in developing its Oculus Quest headset.