Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

The issue that questions the future of reality itself

The issue that questions the future of reality itself

The alleged sexual harassment of a woman on Meta’s virtual reality (VR) media platform has posed the question whether actual physical harassment can take place virtually, and what this might mean for the future of reality.

Last week, Meta (the umbrella company formerly known as Facebook) opened access to its VR social media platform, Horizon Worlds. 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 went according to plan. A woman beta tester reported that a stranger had groped her and that those around her did not intervene to stop it. The tool within the platform developed to create ‘Safe Zones’ – a protective bubble users can activate when feeling threatened – was not deployed.

Predictably, a debate ensued about whose responsibility it was to protect users in Horizon Worlds. One writer from Technology Review concluded that, because there is “no body that’s plainly responsible for the rights and safety of those who participate anywhere online, let alone in virtual worlds… the metaverse will remain a dangerous, problematic space.”

This conclusion merits interrogation.

Two things stand out. First, the assumption that, somehow, odious real-life behavior would not be present in virtual worlds, is naïve beyond belief. But the idea that virtual sexual harassment represents a real danger to users is even more unhinged. Confusing reality with a created reality that is not experienced physically transforms reality and our imagination of reality.

While it is true to argue that sexual harassment has never simply been a physical thing but can be verbal, this is less clear when it comes to a virtual experience. Katherine Cross, who researches online harassment at the University of Washington, argues that, when virtual reality is immersive and real, toxic behavior in that environment is real. “The nature of virtual reality spaces is such that it is designed to trick the user into thinking they are physically in a certain space, that their every bodily action is occurring in a 3D environment,” she says. “It’s part of the reason why emotional reactions can be stronger in that space, and why VR triggers the same internal nervous system and psychological responses.”

Cross may be right about how individuals might experience virtual groping in Horizon Worlds. The psychological response might be as powerful as if it were happening physically. But it is not happening physically – a distinction she and many others appear to forget.

This is where this discussion becomes so problematic. Horizon Worlds is a virtual-reality space. No matter how well it immerses and ‘tricks’ the user, entering this world signals, at the very least, an awareness that one is accessing a different reality. In this virtual world, physical harm is not possible. It is a safe space. The idea that Meta needs to protect users, create tools that ensure a ‘Safe Zone,’ confuses reality with fantasy, elides the distinction between reality and the appearance of reality, and treats its users like children.

In one respect, this is not surprising. Today, words are regarded as harmful. The exposure to ideas you don’t like can now be experienced as physical assaults. Is it surprising that the experience of virtual groping can be interpreted as physical harm?

But virtual reality is virtual. Yes, it is a real appearance, but it is an appearance, nevertheless. This is an imagined experience, like being immersed in a movie that temporarily transports us into another world. But, when the movie is over, we leave the cinema and get back to reality.

If we believe what Mark Zuckerberg intends, the metaverse is an immersive experience so real that it can act as an alternative reality to ordinary life. But this can only become believable if there is a desire to escape the physical world.

The discussion about virtual groping indicates that some have already made this leap. Their confusion of appearance with reality needs challenging because it is fundamental to how we understand the world and lived experience, and to how we change it.

Imagining different worlds and dreaming of solving problems has always been critical to how humanity has changed the world. The imagination sparks problem-solving precisely because the difference between our lived experience and outcomes always poses the need to understand this gap. Imagination cannot exist if there is no reality upon which it is based. Questioning appearance is a precursor to overcoming or changing reality. Had our forefathers never questioned the existence of the stars and planets by imagining what drove their repeated appearance at night, an experience that suggested wrongly we were the center of the universe, we would still be living in a flat world. We wouldn’t have smartphones or computers, let alone Oculus headsets.

The confusion of reality and appearance expressed in the Horizon Worlds groping threatens to challenge the future of human imagination. Without this distinction, we would be immersed in a state of unalterable impression, always determined and denied any capacity to alter the world. We would be reduced to the status of dependent infants, a status that many people drawn to virtual reality worlds regard as desirable. This, not virtual groping, represents a real threat to the future of society.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Japanese Customer Sways from VW to BYD after “Unbelievable” Test Drive amid Dealership Expansion
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
White House Eyes Budapest for Peace Talks
Cave Diving Beneath the Streets of Budapest
Another American Restaurant Chain Opens in Budapest
Hungarian Opposition Politician Supports Ukrainian Commander
Opposition Leader Threatens Media Outlets
American Airlines Adds New Flights to Budapest
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix Wraps Up
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
U.S. Trade Representative says Washington still negotiating trade deals after court rules tariffs illegal
Von der Leyen says Europe drawing up 'precise' plans to send troops to Ukraine
Kremlin accuses Europe of hindering Trump’s peace efforts in Ukraine
×