"Why Privacy and Security Are the Biggest Hurdles Facing Metaverse Adoption"

The hype surrounding the metaverse is growing within the big-tech economy. Gartner predicts that by 2026, 25 percent of the global population will spend at least an hour per day in the metaverse, whether to shop, work, attend events, or socialize. However, the variety of technologies that enable the metaverse, such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and blockchain, all raise privacy and data security concerns. According to an Agora report, one-third of developers (33 percent) believe these are the most difficult obstacles for the metaverse to overcome. According to another Gartner report, as a result of imploding cybersecurity threats, insider activity, and an increase in attack surfaces and vulnerabilities, 75 percent of all organizations will restructure risk and security governance for digital transformation. In addition, recent legislation has addressed personal data privacy. For example, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) grants consumers the "right to be forgotten," requiring businesses to be prepared to remove consumers' information when requested. It also requires private enterprises to obtain people's permission before storing their data. Helping businesses with compliance is a growing business, and European regulators are becoming more stringent in their enforcement actions. As regulations tighten, organizations seeking metaverse leadership must prioritize data privacy and security more than ever. Although digital privacy on websites is now fairly well-regulated, the metaverse is still in its infancy, with no legislation in place to enforce privacy. This article continues to discuss security and privacy concerns regarding the metaverse. 

VB reports "Why Privacy and Security Are the Biggest Hurdles Facing Metaverse Adoption"