INTERPOL is fighting crime in the virtual space. A current white paper warns of a new quality of so-called “metacrime”. Solving such crimes will only work with a holistic approach.
It sounds like science fiction, but it has long since become reality: metacrime, crime in the virtual space of the metaverse. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, the INTERPOL Metaverse Expert Group explained just how complex the fight against cybercrime has become. According to the report, physical cyber attacks and political radicalisation pose immense challenges for law enforcement authorities. The same applies to “grooming”, the targeted online contact of paedophiles with minors. Unauthorised intrusion into private virtual spaces and the theft of virtual property are also addressed in the INTERPOL paper.
In contrast to analogue crimes, the police can be confronted with virtual crime scenes in the metaverse where there is no physical evidence to collect. A breeding ground for criminal activities in the metaverse “for which the world is not fully prepared”, says INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock. Crimes could be committed from various devices and systems and also extend across several jurisdictions. There is still a lack of interoperability and standardised technology on the part of the investigating authorities.
In order to take effective action against metacrime now and in the future, first responders, digital forensics and the justice system must first understand metaverse technologies. Targeted case simulations, virtual crime scene preservation and immersive training in the INTERPOL metaverse should make this possible.
