Paper Number
ECIS2026-2501
Paper Type
CRP
Abstract
This study explores ethical issues surrounding the emerging technology of metaverse from the perspective of young people, emphasizing their views on what constitutes an ethically sustainable metaverse in everyday life and society. As future users and developers, their insights are critical for shaping responsible digital environments. The research adopts a qualitative approach, drawing on semi-structured interviews with computer science university students and high school students during Virtual Reality experiments. Data was analyzed using Effing’s (2024) framework, which was extended by participants’ contributions. Young people highlighted themes such as social interaction, humanity, and safety, alongside domains such as learning, health, and commercial practices. They stressed child protection, accessibility, and equality, while identifying risks such as cyberbullying, harmful content, addiction, and privacy concerns. Findings reveal a strong ethical orientation among youth and their readiness to engage in designing inclusive, safe, and equitable digital futures, expanding IS research beyond organizational contexts.
Recommended Citation
Tikkanen, Ruut; Iivari, Netta; and Holappa, Jenni, "Who Owns The Metaverse — Who Is Excluded – Who Gets Hurt?” – Young Generation’s Insights On Metaverse Ethics" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 11.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/conf_theme/conf_theme/11
Who Owns The Metaverse — Who Is Excluded – Who Gets Hurt?” – Young Generation’s Insights On Metaverse Ethics
This study explores ethical issues surrounding the emerging technology of metaverse from the perspective of young people, emphasizing their views on what constitutes an ethically sustainable metaverse in everyday life and society. As future users and developers, their insights are critical for shaping responsible digital environments. The research adopts a qualitative approach, drawing on semi-structured interviews with computer science university students and high school students during Virtual Reality experiments. Data was analyzed using Effing’s (2024) framework, which was extended by participants’ contributions. Young people highlighted themes such as social interaction, humanity, and safety, alongside domains such as learning, health, and commercial practices. They stressed child protection, accessibility, and equality, while identifying risks such as cyberbullying, harmful content, addiction, and privacy concerns. Findings reveal a strong ethical orientation among youth and their readiness to engage in designing inclusive, safe, and equitable digital futures, expanding IS research beyond organizational contexts.
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