Metaverse for Law Enforcement Agencies

Table of Contents

INTERPOL Metaverse Law Enforcement Agencies

Growing use of Metaverse:
- Metaverse is often discussed as the potential next stage in the development of the Internet.
- By 2026, one in every four people will spend at least an hour a day in the Metaverse to work, study, and shop and socialize, according to technology research firm Gartner.
Threats posed by Metaverse:
- As per the INTERPOL Global Crime Trend report, crime has increasingly moved online as the pace of digitalization has increased. Criminals are already starting to exploit the Metaverse.
- As the number of Metaverse users grows, the list of possible crimes will only expand which include crimes against children, data theft, money laundering, financial fraud, counterfeiting, ransomware, phishing, and sexual assault and harassment.
- The World Economic Forum has also warned that social engineering scams, violent extremism and misinformation could be particular challenges.
Challenge of Law Enforcement Agencies:
- For law enforcement, some of these threats are likely to present significant challenges, because not all acts that are criminalized in the physical world are considered crimes when committed in the virtual world.

The metaverse is an extension of our real world into the digital realm providing an immersive multi-user experience for anyone accessing it around the globe.
It is a form of “extended reality”, which is a combination of augmented, virtual and mixed reality.
It will be a digital reality that will combine aspects of social media, online gaming, and other things allowing users to interact virtually for work, meetings or gaming through VR headsets, AR glasses and smartphones.
It will be a 3-D virtual habitat where our digital avatars may operate.

About: International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) is an inter-governmental organization comprising of 195 member countries.
Headquarters: Its headquarters is located in Lyon, France, with a global complex for innovation in Singapore.
Objective: It helps police forces in all member countries to better coordinate their actions by enabling them to share and access data on crimes and criminals, and offers a range of technical and operational support.
Point of contact: A National Central Bureau (NCB) in each member country is the central point of contact for both the general secretariat and the other NCBs around the world. The NCB is located in the ministry handling law and order.
Functions:
- Maintains criminal database: Interpol manages 19 police databases with information on crimes and criminals, including names, fingerprints and stolen passports.
- Assistance for countries: It provides investigative support such as forensics, analysis, and assistance in locating fugitives around the world.

The INTERPOL Metaverse allows registered users to tour a virtual facsimile of the INTERPOL General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon, France.
It will also allow users to interact with other officers via their avatars, and even take immersive training courses in forensic investigation and other policing capabilities.
The INTERPOL Metaverse is provided through the INTERPOL Secure Cloud, ensuring its neutrality.

The Metaverse holds many benefits for law enforcement, notably in terms of remote work, networking, collecting and preserving evidence from crime scenes, and delivering training.
Capacity building in the Metaverse holds particular promise, offering students more opportunities to collaborate and network, ensuring a greater engagement through immersion and enabling hands-on activities.

Context: China’s total trade surplus with India has crossed $1 trillion.

More on the News:

Rise of China trade: The annual trade with China grew from $3 billion in the year 2000 to $42 billion in 2008.
The 2021 figure: In 2021, annual two-way trade reached $125.6 billion, crossing $100 billion for the first time.
- India’s imports accounted for $97.5 billion, pushing trade imbalance at close to $70 billion.
The 2022 figure: In the first six months of 2022, India’s imports from China surged 34.5% to reach a record $57.51 billion.
- India’s exports to China shrank by 35%. Indian exports accounted for only $9.57 billion of the $67.08 billion two-way trade.
India’s biggest imports from China: Electrical and mechanical machinery, industrial chemicals, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and auto components.
India’s largest exports: Sea food, mineral ores, gems, organic chemicals, cotton etc.