Expert Psychologists: Metaverse Puts Children at Greater Risk for ‘Loneliness’ and Harm
By Movieguide® Contributor
Popular online platforms like Facebook and Roblox are convinced that the metaverse is the future for virtual reality and online interaction. However, psychologists warn that these technological advancements could have harmful side effects.
After the Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testified in court, it became undisputed that social media contributes to online bullying, especially amongst its youngest users. Psychologists note that this problem could increase with the metaverse. The metaverse is a virtual reality concept where people spend their time interacting online. The company that owns Facebook recently changed its name to Meta to highlight its dedication to the concept.
“There’s a potency about being immersed in a world that is different than observing and interacting…through a flat screen monitor,” Albert Rizzo, a psychologist who serves as the director for medical virtual reality at USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies, said. “Once you’re actually embodied in a space, even though you can’t be physically touched, we can be exposed to things that take on a level of realism that could be psychologically assaulting.”
Mitch Prinstein, a clinical psychologist who serves as chief science officer for the American Psychological Association, added: “This is just an exacerbation of the problems that we’ve already started to see with the effects of social media. This is creating more loneliness. This is creating far more body image concerns [and] exposure to dangerous content that’s related to suicidality.”
While many companies have put policies in place to prohibit graphic content and forms of harassment on their platforms, experts fear a lack of accountability remains.
“Virtual reality really does need a lot of safety built in from the start, because you can’t search [the metaverse] for hate or sexual abuse,” Center for Countering Digital Hate CEO Imran Ahmed said. “You can’t. It happens in an instant [and] there’s nothing you can do.”
“I think parents will be asking themselves: Do I feel safe knowing that Mark Zuckerberg is the guy in charge of deciding who influences my children, who might be able to bully them, and whether or not they’re safe in cyberspace?” he continued.
Ahmed explained that tech companies are unwilling to pay for increased safety features.
“Right now, they’re incentivized to make a profit,” he said.
Movieguide® previously reported on social media user safety:
Frances Haugen testified before Congress after announcing herself as the Facebook whistleblower who released internal documents to federal law enforcement and the media.
“I saw Facebook repeatedly encounter conflict between its own profits and our safety,” she testified on Oct. 5. “Facebook consistently resolved these conflicts in favor of their own products. The result has been more division, more harm, more lies, threats, and more combat.”
Although Facebook has introduced video and online ads that support the change of privacy laws and Section 230, Haugen said that they are disingenuous and that they will “not get to the core of the issue.”
“Facebook wants to trick you into thinking that privacy protections or changes to Section 230 alone will be sufficient,” she said. “While important, they will not get to the core of the issue, which is that no one truly understands the destructive traits of Facebook except for Facebook.”
“We can afford nothing less than full transparency,” she added. “As long as Facebook is operating in the shadows, hiding its research from public scrutiny, it is unaccountable. Until the incentives change, Facebook will not change. Left alone, Facebook will continue to make choices that go against the common good, our common good.”
“They cannot protect us from the harms that they know are in their own systems,” she continued.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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