Metaverse Tools. A white paper published by Interpol’s Metaverse Expert Group suggests that metaverse platforms have the potential to be invaluable resources for educating law enforcement officers and preserving and analyzing crime scenes. In its research report, the international law enforcement organization explores the metaverse in all its complexity, looking at several potential applications that could help police forces globally.
The document delves further into the metaverse and cybercrime investigational factors, including the difficulties of retrieving evidence from servers, engines, platforms, and analytics on virtual assets. From its inception in October 2022, the working group has produced many proposals and guidelines to prevent the abuse of metaverse platforms while simultaneously using them to aid law enforcement.
Metaverse as a Law Enforcement Tool
Interpol’s report highlights a small number of specific use cases for law enforcement organizations that use metaverse apps’ physical, augmented, and virtual reality features. One way to improve police operations on the front lines is using Metaverse Tools, which is quickly becoming indispensable for immersive training. Using Metaverse-based training and simulations, the study emphasises how different agencies may better respond to different situations: “Enhanced situational awareness and, by extension, frontline policing competencies will be achieved through crime scene recreation, information sharing, and tactical planning.”
Another novel method involves using metaverse platforms to build digital crime scene replicas. This allows detectives to access and examine crime scenes forever. Proponents of this method argue that it will facilitate thorough cross-examination of witnesses and evidence and may even allow judges and juries to virtually visit crime scenes to better understand the circumstances surrounding individual cases.
Additionally, the article emphasises the significant role augmented, virtual, and extended reality tools will play in enhancing investigations and law enforcement. The technologies use spatial perception and cognition to create fully immersive 3D workspaces: “These tools provide investigators with a novel approach to solving complex knowledge problems by utilizing our inherent spatial reasoning and memory capabilities through a 3D user interface.”
Chainalysis is one example of an extended reality tool that has grown in importance for cryptocurrency investigations. It gives investigators a virtual environment to link and see token movements and transactions.
Metacrimes
The paper also tries to define what is considered a crime or detrimental activity in the metaverse for the sake of efficient policing and platform safety. However, Interpol’s white paper highlights some of the current challenges: cyber-physical attacks, nonfungible token fraud, child grooming, stalking, sexual harassment, and impersonation through stolen digital identities.
Another rising worry is the prevalence of financial crimes in the metaverse. According to Interpol, as more individuals spend more time in virtual worlds, “Metacrime” might emerge as a major concern.
Metaverse Forensics and Investigations
Interpol anticipates that these sites will provide valuable information for law enforcement as the number of people using Metaverse Tools grows. As a result, the local judicial and police departments will need to familiarize themselves with the area.
The study mentions that investigators will have to figure out how to get data from third-party service providers, how to retrieve evidence from metaverse infrastructure, and how to get data from virtual reality headsets and haptic devices. First responders, forensic experts, and the criminal justice system as a whole will need training to meet the standards.
According to Interpol, the metaverse encompasses several jurisdictions, dimensions, and organizations; thus, an effective law enforcement response to meta crime would necessitate a comprehensive strategy incorporating multi-stakeholder involvement and cross-border cooperation.
