Metaverse as a sociotechnical imaginary: A user-centered approach to regulating virtual worlds

Description

Despite increasing use, the arena of metaverse and virtual worlds remains largely unregulated in India. This study adopts a user-centered approach to technology policymaking. Specifically, we examine YouTube videos and comments about various activities on the metaverse to understand what kinds of opportunities and challenges it is perceived to bring, focusing on the harms that digital users are concerned about and the specific needs of governance from a user perspective. The analysis reveals multiple, contested, and commodified visions of the technology, including its potential to succeed as a business model, the inauthenticity of experiences it provides, and concerns about user agency and autonomy from Big Tech. These sociotechnical imaginaries stand in contrast to the largely celebratory reception of the metaverse in government statements. Based on the analysis, we suggest more public participation in developing regulation and greater attention to not just individual-level but also the wider social harms the technology is feared to bring.

Period	15 Jul 2025
Event title	Digital Governance of Internet for Accessible Protected Public Spheres Workshop
Event type	Workshop
Location	Tilburg, NetherlandsShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International