The International Criminal Police Organization, more popularly known as the INTERPOL, unveiled the first-ever Metaverse for law enforcement worldwide.
This was made known in the 90th Interpol General Assembly in New Delhi, India. The INTERPOL Metaverse allows registered users to tour a virtual copy of the agency’s General Secretariat Headquarters in Lyon, France. Virtual visitors will be able to interact with real officers’ avatars. There is also an option to take training courses in forensic investigation and other policing functions.
Delegates from New Delhi, India were able to visit the INTERPOL’s Lyon Headquarters using virtual reality headsets.
The INTERPOL Metaverse is hosted through the agency’s Secure Cloud which ensures its neutrality.
“For many, the Metaverse seems to herald an abstract future, but the issues it raises are those that have always motivated INTERPOL – supporting our member countries to fight crime and making the world, virtual or not, safer for those who inhabit it,” declared by the agency’s Secretary General Jürgen Stock.
The organization has also announced the creation of an Expert Group on Metaverse to address the concerns of law enforcers and to make this new virtual world more secure.
About INTERPOL
The INTERPOL was created in Vienna, Austria in September 1923. It helps its 195 member countries by providing shared information on crimes and criminals and also by offering technical and operational support. The agency connects all members to make the world a safer place.
Its three crime programs, which the organization considers the most pressing concerns of today, are counter-terrorism, organized crime, and cybercrime
Will it make the Metaverse Safer?
The Metaverse is still in its early stages. It promises a future wherein people can interact with each other virtually. Offices, schools, and government agencies will probably be housed in interconnected Metaverses. Gartner, an IT research and consultancy company, predicts that 25% of people will spend at least an hour a day in the Metaverse by 2026.
While we are still far from a “Ready-Player One” scenario, the possibility of escaping to an alternate universe is closer than ever.
As it matures, more bad actors will try to exploit the Metaverse for their benefit. The mask of anonymity in cyberspace will further embolden criminals. The INTERPOL taking interest in this new virtual world is a comforting sign that there will be a (virtual) sheriff in the new wild west.
Image from Unsplash
Source: INTERPOL.int
