This article first appeared on the Brookings Institution site.
Virtual reality is taking off. With the newly announced Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, the Sony PlayStation VR, Google Cardboard, Microsoft HoloLens, One Plus and Jaunt, there are several options for those wishing to join the sector.
Consumers can use the game “Eagle Flight” to fly over Paris, “The Walk” to take a tightrope that runs between skyscrapers or “Sports Challenge” to play quarterback for a football team.
Players report stunning increases in visual resolution that bring the entertainment very close to reality.
Those who have played the tightrope-walking game describe how difficult it is to take that first step onto the rope, while suspended hundreds of feet off the ground, even though they know it is a fantasy experience. Observers report that people’s legs wobble as if they actually are walking the tightrope. Most participants perspire heavily and exhibit evidence of extreme nervousness as they simulate the high-wire activity.
However, what happens when virtual reality crosses into unethical territory? In a new play, “The Nether,”that opened this month at the Woolly Mammoth Theater in Washington, D.C., playwright Jennifer Haley explores the troubling questions that arise when the main character known as Papa uses advanced software to create a fantasy environment where adult clients molest young children and then kill them.
The play shows detective Morris quizzing Papa on the line between fantasy and reality, and the rightful boundaries of human experience.
For those concerned about a Frankenstein future of misguided technology, the production raises a number of thorny questions. Should there be limits on human fantasies involving heinous thoughts? Do fantasies that remain in the private realm of someone’s brain warrant any rules or regulations by society as a whole?
More complex is the relationship between fantasy and reality. Even if the bad behavior rests solely in one individual’s private thoughts, does that thinking pose a danger to other people?
For example, there is some evidence that repeated exposure to pornography is associated with harmful conduct toward women and that it legitimizes violent attitudes and behaviors.
Does that evidence mean we should worry about misogynistic or violent virtual reality experiences? Will these “games” make it more acceptable for people to engage in actual harmful behaviors?
For privacy buffs, there is another interesting angle on this production. In light of the ongoing battles between government agencies and a number of Web-hosting firms and Internet providers, should those suspected of engaging in questionable activities be compelled to reveal the location and contents of their computer file servers?
What kind of evidence constitutes the grounds for search and seizure? Does participation in violent fantasy games cross the line into activities society should limit?
Currently, there are limits on children purchasing violent games but not adults. For the latter, the societal norm remains libertarian in nature.
As the world moves toward a future based on virtual reality, artificial intelligence and machine learning, we have to think about where to draw virtual lines, what kinds of situations are problematic and how to recraft our laws, regulations and policies for the digital world.
Digital technology is not just a new platform, but a new mechanism for people to connect with one another. There are many legal and ethical issues to resolve as we grapple with emerging technologies.
Darrell M. West is vice president and director of Governance Studies and founding director of the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings Institution
It is an awful thing that shouldn't be done: "adult clients molest young children and then kill them" (Booking Institute). It is however better if people do it in virtual reality than in real life. If people can get their aggression out in a video game then they won't feel the need to take it out in their everyday life. It may end up being better for them. Id think there should be a limit to how much you can do though, and how long you can play for.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Koopman, per 1
I think that this new entertainment electronic is pretty cool, but should not be sold."Those who have played the tightrope-walking game describe how difficult it is to take that first step onto the rope, while suspended hundreds of feet off the ground, even though they know it is a fantasy experience. Observers report that people’s legs wobble as if they actually are walking the tightrope."(Booking Institute)This is explaining that this new invention can actually make you think you are part of the game and which will lead you to do bad things."playwright Jennifer Haley explores the troubling questions that arise when the main character known as Papa uses advanced software to create a fantasy environment where adult clients molest young children and then kill them."(Booking institute) When you see this on a video game, it makes you think that it is alright to do this in the reality world since you are able to do it on a fantasy worlds. I believe that is device can really affect peoples minds and make them act different.
ReplyDeleteI think that the idea and development of virtual reality is really cool, but I'd like to emphasize the reality part of it. I believe that the difference between reality and fantasy is that fantasy is personal, reality is not. It's like imagination, a person can think of the craziest things they want, but it stays in their head. Once they act upon their imagination, someone else is able to perceive it. (For example: Thinking about a cat= imagination, drawing the cat= reality). So if someone is to "molest young children and then kill them."(West) in a game, it should in no way be considered just fantasy.
ReplyDeleteJoJo Wu 6th period
Virtual reality is something that many people have been waiting for years to experience. I do think this is a great idea because i have always wanted to do it. However, I do think that there needs to be an age restriction and advise not to play when home alone because people underestimate the realism of the technology. "Digital technology is not just a new platform, but a new mechanism for people to connect with one another"(West).
ReplyDelete-Rhys Kennedy
Period 6
The title itself is an interesting thought, is it possible to commit a crime in a virtual reality? Well, in my opinion it could be possible, especially when the article says," In a new play, the main character uses software to create a fantasy environment where adult clients molest young children and then kill them." (West). Just the thought that someone did make a game were the main goal is to molest and kill young children is very sickening, and if such a virtual reality game influence a person to do such a thing and that person admits that their action was influence because of that game, it could be a crime in my opinion which I hope this doesn't happen, and I also hope someone will find a solution to this issue.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy reading this article, and the concept of being able to commit a crime in virtual reality is definitely interesting, but as far as the creating world to molest children and then kill them? "Why?" is the only thing that comes to mind. Maybe it's too late and I'm just too mentally exhausted to grasp this, but I just don't see the reason or motivation to create such an experience. It's even referenced back to the article that walking on a tightrope in a virtual reality world is terrifying and realistic enough, additionally, there's more than enough studies across the internet that prove violent games do make us more accepting of violence. I'm not trying to advocate against violent games, but prove a point. In the rise of virtual reality, we're crossing more and more borders and immersing ourselves even more into the world of fiction, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But as someone who does play a variety of first person shooter games, I personally have noted a quickened state of panic and hitches in my respiratory system while playing. And I'm fairly certain that isn't a reaction unique just to me. While these experiences and worlds are fictional, they are still fictional. And virtual reality is even more experience than those. And while it may not be a crime in our reality, we really do have to start considering morality and general ethical opinions and ideals when designing and playing in these virtual realities.
ReplyDeleteI really love the idea of having this type of technology, I think that a lot of good things can come from it (ie. paralyzed people being able to "walk" again, people with health issues being able to "experience" things their health doesn't allow them, etc), but there's still always those people who will take advantage of it. They bring up a really good point when they ask "[if] fantasies that remain in the private realm of someone’s brain warrant any rules or regulations by society as a whole?" (Brookings Institute), because really, do they? Do we have the right to control peoples thoughts? I think that it is absolutely APPALLING that people find interest in activities like molesting and killing children, but there is NOTHING I can do to control whether or not they do, which is really sad to me. I cannot wrap my head the fact that this is something people enjoy, it honestly makes me feel sick to my stomach. The only solution I can think of that helps us ensure people don't take advantage of this tech in that way is surveillance, which also brings up a lot of argument. Who the hell wants someone watching them every time they step into that fantasy world of theirs? Sorta super creepy. But, with all tech we push out there's always that possibility of misuse, so that's also something that we need to think about.
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