Virtual police stations should be opened in the metaverse to tackle online crimes, Interpol suggests.
The international police body has called for forces to consider opening online units offering services like ‘reporting crimes, filing complaints or hosting virtual community meetings’.
In a White Paper warning of an explosion of crimes in virtual reality games, Interpol suggests officers should maintain a ‘virtual presence in the metaverse’ to prevent sex offences, child abuse and even terrorism.
The term metaverse refers to 3D virtual worlds where users depicted as online figures called avatars interact.
In a White Paper warning of an explosion of crimes in virtual reality games, Interpol suggests officers should maintain a ‘virtual presence in the metaverse’ (stock image)
Earlier this month the Mail revealed that a UK police force is investigating a ‘virtual rape’ in the metaverse for the first time.
A girl under the age of 16 went to police last year saying her online avatar had been gang raped by strangers in a virtual reality game.
Although there was no physical attack, officers decided to investigate as the girl was assessed as suffering the same psychological and emotional trauma as someone who has been raped in the real world.
Now Interpol is warning that virtual reality crimes could become a major problem.
The report said: ‘The metaverse has opened up opportunities for criminals to commit new types of crime, which can be referred to as “metacrime”.
‘Metacrime is a growing concern and could become a major issue as the immersive world becomes part of our daily life.’
The paper recommends forces set up a presence in the metaverse to allow users to report ‘metacrime’ or even provide another avenue for the public to report offline crimes.
It added: ‘Police departments can establish a virtual presence in the metaverse, offering services such as reporting crimes, filing complaints or even hosting virtual community meetings.
‘This approach can make police services more accessible, especially for those with mobility issues or in remote areas.’
The word metaverse was coined in 1992 by author Neal Stephenson in his science fiction novel Snow Crash.
The paper recommends forces set up a presence in the metaverse to allow users to report ‘metacrime’ or even provide another avenue for the public to report offline crimes. Pictured, a virtual reality Interpol station
The NSPCC estimates that 15 per cent of children aged five to ten have used virtual reality.
Wearing a headset, users are plunged into an immersive virtual world that feels real where they can interact with others inside a computer-generated environment.
Users can also put on vests called haptic suits, which simulate sensations such as the impact of a punch, providing a ‘tangible link between virtual and physical experience’, Interpol warns.
It identified 41 types of crime which could be perpetrated in the metaverse including rape, sexual exploitation of children, deepfakes, financial scams, identity theft and even virtual burglaries.
The report also warns: ‘Terrorists could misuse the metaverse to receive financial support, which could lead to the commission of terror attacks.’
The rise of the metaverse has prompted calls from police chiefs in Britain for new laws to protect women and children plus more action from tech companies to make platforms safe for users.