The Metaverse as a Living Space: A Discussion of Privacy Protection Issues Considering Media Evolution

This paper investigates the challenges of privacy protection in the metaverse, focusing on its role as a living space and the distinct characteristics of information flow in 3D virtual environments. As metaverse platforms increasingly facilitate everyday activities, the inherent spatial and visual dynamics of 3D environments give rise to novel privacy risks. For example, users may misinterpret the scope of their information disclosure due to visual cues such as avatar positioning and distance-based audio attenuation, leading to a "false sense of security." Through an extensive literature review, this study reveals a paradoxical trend: as media evolve from text-based to metaverse-based platforms and the breadth of captured information expands to include biometric data, users’ "false sense of security" and expectations for privacy also increase. This growing gap between user perception and technical reality heightens the risk of unintended information disclosure and underscores the need to rethink traditional privacy paradigms. To address these issues, the paper proposes the concept of "individually optimized rulespaces"—a framework that tailors privacy rules to the specific characteristics of each virtual space and community. Furthermore, it argues that for this framework to be effective, the actual scope of information disclosure must be conveyed to users through an intuitive and visual User Interface/User Experience (UI/UX) design. This dual approach aims to align users' perceptions of privacy with the actual technical parameters governing information dissemination. While this paper presents a conceptual design philosophy, its primary goal is to provide a foundational framework for future implementation, thereby fostering a safer and more secure utilization of the metaverse as a living space.