Personal Identity in the Metaverse: Challenges and Risks

Abstract

Gone are the days when humanity existed in only one dimension. Digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) create new opportunities but also pose new challenges and risks for society. One of the most vital concerns that arises due to these changes is whether people's perception of themselves remains the same or it is gradually changing. These issues require particular attention amid the emergence of a new world: the metaverse. The article addresses the issue of identifying the main changes happening to a person's ‘self’ from a philosophical and legal perspective and outlines the already existing threats to human rights. The study revealed that it is already possible to speak about serious transformations in a personal identity construct, which is changing qualitatively, but also expands dimensionally, i.e. there are not only a multiple identity, but also a multidimensional one. These transformations have caused serious implications of ethical and legal character. Digital identity in its legal sense has become an integral part of our lives, whether we like that or not. Privacy is becoming the most topical issue as the ubiquitous surveillance, data gathering of various kinds leave next to nothing as to preserving your private life private.