Throughout history, terrorism has adeptly leveraged technological advancements to further its ominous objectives. As societies have evolved, so too have the methods employed by extremists. From the early utilization of print media to spread propaganda, to the more recent harnessing of social media platforms for recruitment and radicalization, terrorist groups have consistently exploited the cutting edge of available technology. Now, with the dawn of the Metaverse, terrorism is about to be at another pivotal intersection. This digital realm, characterized by immersive virtual environments and complex interactivity, offers a new frontier for these malevolent actors. The metaverse not only provides concealed platforms for communication and coordination, but also introduces potential grounds for training, recruitment, and even virtual staging of attacks. As we venture deeper into this digital epoch, it's imperative that we remain vigilant, recognizing that as technology advances, so too will the tactics of those intent on using it for harm.
TopIntroduction
The world is about to live a completely virtual life through “The Metaverse”, a kind of universe where human interactions are undertaken neither face-to-face nor digitally, but in ways that combine properties of the real, physical world with properties of the internet and smart technology, adding to them other elements. The result would be a new world, or, to be more accurate, new worlds, this boundless landscapes and anonymity could offer a haven for radical ideologies and extremist activities.
Each of these new worlds in the Metaverse would try hard to distinguish itself from the other worlds by promoting difference and uniqueness, in order to present itself as the best and most successful type of models. They would have its own citizens, constitution, and laws which have nothing to do with the laws of the real world. As a result, it would fall a prey to extremism, which would, consequently, give rise to new forms of religious fanaticism, chauvinism and racism.
Even worse, people with radical ideas and beliefs may join hands, forming groups that would practice cult-like rituals in temples that would be founded by the members of these groups, in such a situation, radicalism looms large; inhabitants of the metaverse are more than likely to adopt extremist patterns of thinking, or even become terrorists.
Furthermore, the metaverse's darker corners might evolve in ways reminiscent of today's dark web. As people grapple with virtual addictions and as digital theft, fraud, and harassment manifest in novel forms, there’s an increased risk that extremist organizations would exploit these platforms. Especially worrisome is the potential for terror outfits with ideological and religious motivations to employ the metaverse as a recruiting ground, communication hub, and even a training camp for real-world atrocities.
In the light of the foregoing, this chapter sheds light on the metaverse as a concept, with special focus on the ways in which extremist and terrorist organizations would use it for purposes of communicating, recruiting, financing and training, in an attempt to raise awareness of the potential dangers of the metaverse so that they can be avoided.
This chapter is a desktop research study, seeks to explore the potential uses of the metaverse by extremists and terrorists, this could be through defining the concept of the metaverse first, then exploring the possible applications for the extremists and terrorists in the metaverse, with a focus of the most likely uses for the terrorist groups.