Harassment in the Metaverse: The Conflict between Presence and Online Disinhibition Effect

The growing prominence of the Metaverse has raised public concerns about harassment within this digital space. The immersive nature of the Metaverse allows users to feel present in the digital space and prompts users to relate their actions in the virtual environment to those in real life. However, the anonymous nature of online spaces fosters users to express themselves more freely and engage in disinhibited behaviors they might refrain from in face-to-face interactions. The coexistence of a heightened sense of presence in the Metaverse and the potential for disinhibition creates a unique and contradictory dynamic. This study aims to contribute valuable insights into this context by exploring how users’ sense of presence and potential disinhibition impact their harassment behaviors in the Metaverse. Through this investigation, we enhance our understanding of the complex dynamics in this immersive environment context.