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Children exposed to psychological and ‘disturbingly real’ harm on metaverse, study warns
10 March 2025, 07:27 | Updated: 10 March 2025, 09:32
Online Safety Day is today, Monday 10th March from 7am to midnight on LBC, available across the UK on Global Player on your smart speaker, iOS or Android device; on DAB digital radio and TV, at LBC.co.uk and in London on 97.3 FM.
Children are facing serious risks in the metaverse, including harassment, exposure to inappropriate content and psychological harm, a report shared exclusively with LBC revealed.
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Researchers at the University of East London and Middlesex University have called for urgent action to protect children in immersive digital environments, including online safety lessons in primary schools.
The Virtual Reality Risks Against Children study found that, in the metaverse, children are frequently exposed to inappropriate content and in some cases experience ‘disturbingly real’ virtual assaults.
The metaverse refers to three-dimensional virtual spaces where people interact with others through avatars, and can be used for gaming, socialising and just about anything else.
Experts suggested instances of abuse online can be as traumatising as physical experiences because the internet is blurring the line between digital spaces and reality.
Professor Julia Davidson, OBE, University of East London and co-lead of the study, said: “The metaverse is not just a playground; it presents unique and serious challenges for child safety.
Read more: The ultimate guide to keeping your children safe online by LBC's tech guru Will Guyatt
“Our findings highlight a critical need for updated policies, better digital education, and stronger safety measures.”
Concerns have been raised about virtual reality creating new opportunities for predators to target and abuse children while faking their identity.
Children in the metaverse are said to often face pressure to engage in unsafe behaviour and the immersive nature of these digital worlds can also lead to ‘more intense psychological effects’ and make virtual assaults feel ‘much more real’.
Read more: LBC’s Online Safety Day Monday 10th March, 7am to midnight
Professor Elena Martellozzo, Middlesex University, co-lead of the research said: “We must work together to protect children in these new digital spaces and ensure the metaverse is a safe environment for our children.
“Children are being exposed to online harms and dangers at a very young age and online safety lessons could teach them safe behaviours and warning signs before they start to become active in the metaverse.”
The report recommended expanding digital literacy education, with lessons beginning in primary schools to instil positive online behaviours from an early age.
It also urged the UK Government to revise online safety legislation to address the unique challenges posed by 3D virtual reality.
Tech companies have been told to ‘take more ownership of safety’ and implement proactive measures to prevent harmful behaviours.
A government spokesperson said: “We are committed to keeping young people safe online. From summer robust new laws in force through the Online Safety Act will protect children from harmful content and ensure they have age-appropriate experiences online. These protections will act as the foundation and our priority is getting them in place quickly and effectively.
"We also know there will be more to do and have already acted by commissioning a study to assess current research on the impact of social media and smartphones on children's well-being. This will strengthen the evidence base and inform next steps to build a safer online world.”
The government is currently reviewing guidance for teachers, but children in England are taught about online safety as part of the mandatory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum which includes how to critically evaluate online friendships and sources of information.
Under the Online Safety Act, enforced by the regulator Ofcom, platforms will have to proactively take down illegal content including terrorist material, intimate image abuse and child abuse.
