Latest News

12-16 The Metaverse Has A Groping Problem Already

The metaverse has a groping problem already

A woman was sexually harassed on Meta’s VR social media platform. She’s not the first—and won’t be the last.

December 16, 2021
Woman using Virtual Reality headset at night

Getty

Last week, Meta (the umbrella company formerly known as Facebook) opened up access to its virtual-reality social media platform, Horizon Worlds. Early descriptions of the platform make it seem fun and wholesome, drawing comparisons to Minecraft. In Horizon Worlds, up to 20 avatars can get together at a time to explore, hang out, and build within the virtual space.

But not everything has been warm and fuzzy. According to Meta, on November 26, a beta tester reported something deeply troubling: she had been groped by a stranger on Horizon Worlds. On December 1, Meta revealed that she’d posted her experience in the Horizon Worlds beta testing group on Facebook.

Read more

lynnswarriors12-16 The Metaverse Has A Groping Problem Already