Zahid Anwar, associate professor of computer science and Challey scholar, appeared in “Securing the Metaverse! The Cybersecurity Industry's Call to Action,” a panel discussion involving cybersecurity experts from the US, Canada, Belgium and the United Kingdom. The event was hosted by Infosecurity Magazine March 22 as part of its spring online summit.

Anwar was among a group of cybersecurity experts that explored privacy and security challenges around the metaverse, ranging from verification and the dangers of impersonation to biometric information and how private data should be collected and used.

Anwar’s comments drew from his previous article “Privacy and Safety Issues With Facebook's New 'Metaventure” that was published on DarkReading. In the article, Anwar described the benefits and issues of privacy and safety in the metaverse, which is a mixed reality world where users can meet up using virtual reality headsets and aspects of social media, gaming, and cryptocurrencies come together.

Anwar contends that awareness on part of the user, along with appropriate controls and regulations, are needed to protect safety and privacy without stifling the innovative benefits of the technology. 

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