Moderating Embodied Cyber Threats Using Generative AI

TL;DR

This paper explores the emergence of embodied cyber threats in social VR platforms, emphasizing the need for effective moderation strategies to ensure user safety amid increasingly immersive virtual interactions.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of embodied cyber threats and proposes generative AI-based methods to mitigate these realistic and invasive virtual harms.

Findings

Identifies new embodied cyber threats in social VR environments

Proposes generative AI techniques for threat moderation

Highlights the importance of safety measures in immersive VR

Abstract

The advancement in computing and hardware, like spatial computing and VR headsets (e.g., Apple's Vision Pro) [1], has boosted the popularity of social VR platforms (VRChat, Rec Room, Meta HorizonWorlds) [2, 3, 4]. Unlike traditional digital interactions, social VR allows for more immersive experiences, with avatars that mimic users' real-time movements and enable physical-like interactions. However, the immersive nature of social VR may introduce intensified and more physicalized cyber threats-we define as "embodied cyber threats", including trash-talking, virtual "groping", and such virtual harassment and assault. These new cyber threats are more realistic and invasive due to direct, virtual interactions, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive understanding and practical strategies to enhance safety and security in virtual environments.