A scoping review of metaverse-facilitated child sexual abuse
This scoping review investigated the complexities of child sexual abuse that is or could be facilitated by the metaverse. Following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines, and synthesising insights from 28 diverse...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences and Humanities Open |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259029112500395X |
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| author | Nichola Copson Shane D. Johnson |
| author_facet | Nichola Copson Shane D. Johnson |
| author_sort | Nichola Copson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This scoping review investigated the complexities of child sexual abuse that is or could be facilitated by the metaverse. Following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines, and synthesising insights from 28 diverse sources, it systematically maps existing threats, uncovers gaps in knowledge, and outlines potential solutions. The review provides a narrative analysis of the available evidence related to potential metaverse victims, offenders, virtual depictions, associated threats, and mitigation strategies. The findings highlight grooming, child sexual abuse, and the distribution of abusive materials as the primary threats within these immersive environments. Suggested countermeasures include stricter age-based platform regulations, enhanced collaboration between law enforcement agencies and bystanders, and the use of advanced artificial intelligence to detect and prevent abuse. Concerns also emerged about the metaverse potentially normalising and desensitising abusive behaviours, which could escalate into physical acts of abuse. Overall, the review highlights the need for more scholarly research and proactive interventions to address the technological and human factors in metaverse-facilitated child sexual abuse. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e9d36e5a06ed4e9b975df32e6b7fdad0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2590-2911 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences and Humanities Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-e9d36e5a06ed4e9b975df32e6b7fdad02025-08-20T03:24:28ZengElsevierSocial Sciences and Humanities Open2590-29112025-01-011210166710.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101667A scoping review of metaverse-facilitated child sexual abuseNichola Copson0Shane D. Johnson1Centre Doctoral Training, at University College London, United Kingdom; Corresponding author.Dawes Centre for Future Crime at UCL, University College London, United KingdomThis scoping review investigated the complexities of child sexual abuse that is or could be facilitated by the metaverse. Following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines, and synthesising insights from 28 diverse sources, it systematically maps existing threats, uncovers gaps in knowledge, and outlines potential solutions. The review provides a narrative analysis of the available evidence related to potential metaverse victims, offenders, virtual depictions, associated threats, and mitigation strategies. The findings highlight grooming, child sexual abuse, and the distribution of abusive materials as the primary threats within these immersive environments. Suggested countermeasures include stricter age-based platform regulations, enhanced collaboration between law enforcement agencies and bystanders, and the use of advanced artificial intelligence to detect and prevent abuse. Concerns also emerged about the metaverse potentially normalising and desensitising abusive behaviours, which could escalate into physical acts of abuse. Overall, the review highlights the need for more scholarly research and proactive interventions to address the technological and human factors in metaverse-facilitated child sexual abuse.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259029112500395XMetaverseChild sexual abuseGroomingChild sexual abuse materialScoping review |
| spellingShingle | Nichola Copson Shane D. Johnson A scoping review of metaverse-facilitated child sexual abuse Social Sciences and Humanities Open Metaverse Child sexual abuse Grooming Child sexual abuse material Scoping review |
| title | A scoping review of metaverse-facilitated child sexual abuse |
| title_full | A scoping review of metaverse-facilitated child sexual abuse |
| title_fullStr | A scoping review of metaverse-facilitated child sexual abuse |
| title_full_unstemmed | A scoping review of metaverse-facilitated child sexual abuse |
| title_short | A scoping review of metaverse-facilitated child sexual abuse |
| title_sort | scoping review of metaverse facilitated child sexual abuse |
| topic | Metaverse Child sexual abuse Grooming Child sexual abuse material Scoping review |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259029112500395X |
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