Moore’s law suggests a connection between the upgrade of technology and ethical impacts. The examples of such advancements include flexible transparent screens, 3D-printing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence. However all these new technologies, including virtual reality, come with ethical implications. Here, we’ll see the ethical issues with VR.
Desensitization in Virtual Reality
If someone spends too much time in a fake environment, they’d have trouble adjusting to the real world surroundings. They wouldn’t be able to act the same way they used to before being put in the virtual space. They may think their ability to do certain tasks such as jumping or aiming is greater than it actually is.
Such people become indifferent to certain types of interactions. Such a behavior harms their social relationships. In one study, researchers compared the attitudes of people towards violence; video game, media and real life. The study revealed that their was a relationship between exposure to violence; whether virtual or real, and desensitization. They found out that repeated exposure to violence in video games reduces their empathy levels. Video game and movie violence, both increase pro-violence attitudes.
Social Isolation
We are seeing how the rise of technology leads to physical addiction. Some people get so immersed in social media and video games that they get isolated from the society. This is an unhealthy behavior. Virtual Reality allows people to explore entire worlds. When people are lost in such worlds, someone will have to take responsibility to prevent people from being isolated from reality.
Many people have begun arguing that technology is playing a role in the depersonalization of human beings. It is behind mental health issues such as depression. On the other hand people have also argued that this technology serves as an aid for mental health and general well-being. When used correctly, people with PTSD and social anxiety can counter their fears with the help of virtual reality.
The fact remains that VR is continuing to develop new applications and it comes with limitless advantages. This technology also brings with it a range of ethical complexities. The social and behavioral dynamics presented by VR need to be addressed. Physiological and cognitive problems raised because of VR should be tackled with. Ethical issues presented by VR can be solved through laws and regulations set up by governments and institutions.
Torture in Virtual Reality
Philosophers have brought up questions about torture in a virtual environment. It is worth exploring whether hurting someone in a virtual environment would count as torture. Virtual torture cells could be set up to punish or interrogate people. That way, they wouldn’t experience any actual physical harm. Such a behavior can easily be classified as immoral. It is also worth considering who would control or stop such practices.
Manipulation in VR
There is no legal framework available to regulate VR. Therefore, users have very little protection. Businesses could make up tricks to fool people into buying more products or services. People could be manipulated to buy certain products. An example of misleading advertising is for example a situation in which property sellers could augment their property with nice features. That way it would look better than it really is. Thus, children and the people with support needs would require further protection. That’s because they would face even more difficulty in differentiating between what’s real and what’s not.
Environment impacts behavior and virtual reality can easily trick people. Since the likelihood of such manipulation is so large, it is important to use up appropriate safeguards. Some issues pertaining to VR can be evaluated using routine standards. These include violence and content type. However, VR gives people a chance to get immersed in a fake environment and that brings additional risk factors such as those that have to do with VR’s training and mind manipulation.
Crime
Another question is whether the execution of crimes in a virtual world should be managed. Video games played with thumb gestures through a remote, that allow a person to control a character on screen, sometimes permit a person’s avatar to execute immoral behavior. This is much different than performing those actions, such as stabbing or stealing in a hyper-realistic surrounding.
Another form of crime is where facial recognition technology is used to arrest the wrong person. This technology is not as accurate as people are led to believe. There is a potential for error. This is true for all the different types of technology.
Privacy
It is predicted that in the future, virtual users will be able to interact and communicate with each other. This needs to be done safely. When multiple users interact with each other, questions of privacy will be raised. There will also be an additional risk of hacking. Hackers may try to gain unauthorized access to other people’s data.
Virtual reality headsets are capable of recognizing users’ facial expressions. Once such technologies are able to identify different faces people will never have any real privacy. Free applications stating that they use image analysis software to recognize faces already exist. Imagine if such technologies are used to identify anyone on the street. They may even time stamp faces against locations and track people in real-time. This brings forth another aspect of ethical issues caused by VR.
PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder is triggered by extremely distressful events and can also happen after a prolonged traumatic experience. An example of such an event could be a serious accident. This usually occurs when someone witnesses a real-life event. Currently, clinicians do not include exposure to electronic media as a trigger of PTSD. Hence movies and pictures don’t result in PTSD. However, with simulation technology, users have a more immersive experience that extends beyond sight and sound. If the users have no way of ending their experience, they may feel so distressed that they eventually get PTSD.
When you think about it, it may not be necessary to experience these trauma-inducing events in real life to suffer from PTSD. If you are faced with tough moral decisions or frightening situations in a virtual environment, you may have to put up with lasting psychological consequences. VR developers need to come up with strategies to prevent this from happening as this is an example of one of the serious ethical issues fostered by VR. On the other hand, some experts hypothesize that VR can be used to treat PTSD if used appropriately.
