Metaverse fashion promises a dazzling future. Self-expression unbound. Digital wardrobes overflowing. But beneath the shimmering surface lies a chilling truth: our digital identities are more vulnerable than ever. Are we heading blindly towards a future where our digital doubles are siphoned off, mined, hijacked and weaponised against us? I think so.

Data Trails That Haunt You

Imagine that every ensemble you digitally wear is meticulously recorded. Each digital apparel item you almost buy and each experience you have with a company in the metaverse is tracked as well. This may sound like science fiction, but it should be the reality of data collection today in this new digital frontier. Brands are excited to create personalized experiences and predict trends, as Rashmi Chopra envisions. Instead, they are vacuuming up your data at an unprecedented scale!

Think about it: your avatar's style, your preferred colors, the brands you gravitate towards – all fed into algorithms that learn your deepest desires. All this data isn’t just focused on serving you more and more ads. It can be used to discriminate against you, to profile you, to predict your behavior, and yes, manipulate your choices. Not only can price discrimination depend on how rich you look. What’s more, targeted advertising can prey on your insecurities, and social profiling can affect your prospects in the offline world. You’re familiar with that creepy feeling when you look up something online and then start getting targeted ads for it all over, right? Now, picture that experience times a thousand and turned onto your very existence.

This isn't just about annoying ads. It’s all about preventing digital redlining, the practice of denying people or communities opportunities based on their online identities. This is not just about the erosion of consumer privacy or the creation of a surveillance state under the guise of personalized shopping. It’s the metaverse’s digital panopticon—only, instead of jailers, it’s algorithms doing the lurking on every metaverse purchase and click that we make.

Avatar Hijacking: Your Face, Their Crimes

The metaverse has a grand and digital twin, an avatar, a representation of yourself, their world. What do you do when that twin is abducted? I'm not talking about a cheesy sci-fi plot; I'm talking about digital identity theft.

Imagine if someone hacked into your metaverse avatar and stole your virtual identity. Worse, they exploit it for fraud, misinformation, or even harassment! The consequences could be devastating. Direct financial loss, reputational damage, emotional costs — all caused by someone using your digital identity.

The real challenge is proving identity within the metaverse. How can we be sure that the avatar we are chatting with is truly the avatar they claim to be? Today’s approaches are grossly insufficient, creating an open playing field for impersonation and fraud. The internet is starting to feel like the Wild West again. Because this time, our very existence is at stake.

This isn’t merely a technical issue — it’s an issue at the very heart of public trust. How do we build a more trustworthy metaverse? We must move toward verifying that the individuals we engage with are truly who they claim to be. The current answer is, we can’t. I recoil from the thought of anyone using my digital likeness. The idea that they might be propagating hate speech or scamming people deeply frightens me.

Digital Bias, Real Harm

The metaverse, just like the real world, is rife with bias. Algorithms that create avatars and suggest styles reproduce and reinforce current disparities. They can—and likely do—serve to deepen existing inequalities within immersive experiences too.

Think about it: if the algorithms that design avatars are trained on biased datasets, they may create virtual representations that reinforce harmful stereotypes. Second, if the algorithms that recommend new styles are trained on past data and prioritize certain body types or skin tones, they will exclude or further marginalize others. And if the algorithms that curate virtual experiences favor certain groups, they may create a metaverse that is not inclusive or equitable.

This is not only a matter of aesthetics, it’s about access and opportunity. If marginalized groups are excluded or misrepresented in the metaverse, they may be denied access to the same economic, social, and cultural opportunities as others. It’s the digital equivalent of redlining, where entire communities are purposefully put at a disadvantage.

We should already be demanding transparency and accountability in tech’s use of algorithms, and we should fight harder now before the metaverse becomes our reality. Instead, let’s make sure that we design these algorithms in ways that promote fairness, equity and inclusion among people. We have to make sure they’re used this way. Without meaningful public participation, the metaverse will just be a new manifestation of the prejudices and inequities that characterize our IRL society.

The metaverse is upon us, ready or not. We don’t have to settle for a future where our digital identities are at risk. While the bad outcomes of the metaverse are avoidable, it’s up to us to protect ourselves and fight for a more equitable and ethical metaverse.

It's up to us to shape it. Join us in building a digital world that’s safe, inclusive, and empowering for all. Before it’s too late. Because at the moment, it really does seem like we’re constructing a gilded cage for our digital selves.

Here's what you can do:

  • Use strong, unique passwords for all your metaverse accounts.
  • Be mindful of your data privacy settings and limit the amount of information you share.
  • Support organizations that promote digital rights and advocate for privacy protections.
  • Demand transparency and accountability from brands and platforms that operate in the metaverse.
  • Speak out against bias and discrimination in the metaverse.

The future of the metaverse is not predetermined. It's up to us to shape it. Let's work together to create a digital world that is safe, inclusive, and empowering for everyone. Before it’s too late. Because right now, it feels like we are building a gilded cage for our digital souls.