A girl was allegedly raped in the metaverse. Is this the beginning of a dark new future? | Nancy Jo Sales

British police are investigating the case of a minor who was allegedly subjected to a virtual gang rape. Expect more cases

The cheerful language with which tech companies describe their platforms is often in stark contrast to the dark possibilities lurking within them. Meta, for example, describes its virtual world, the metaverse, as the next evolution in social connection and the successor to the mobile internet", a place where virtual reality lets you explore new worlds and shared experiences". But for a young girl in the UK recently, that shared experience" was an alleged gang rape perpetrated by several adult men.

British police are investigating the sexual assault of the girl, identified only as being under the age of 16, in what is said to be the first investigation of its kind in the UK. The girl was reportedly wearing a virtual reality headset and playing an immersive game in the metaverse when her avatar was attacked.