The Ownership of Your ‘Digital Twin’ Will Determine the Success of the Metaverse

The concept of the metaverse, long anticipated through technology’s promises and science fiction, has not yet come to fruition. The general public has not fully embraced it, business meetings are not commonly held there, and the experience is far from resembling what was portrayed in Ready Player One. However, a team of scientists from Italy has recently released research that could help bring humanity closer to achieving this vision.

Their publication, titled Metaverse & Human Digital Twin: Digital Identity, Biometrics, and Privacy in the Future Virtual Worlds, outlines how interoperability and data ownership will be fundamental in creating a digital mirror of the real world.

Digital twins

Every action taken by individuals on the internet leaves a trail of data that, when linked to their identity, gives a detailed insight into their persona. Over the years, this data has been utilized for various purposes, from targeted advertising to emotional manipulation experiments.

In the metaverse, there is even greater potential to gather data. Depending on the hardware and sensors used, the information collected from users can provide intricate details about their activities, health, and physical state.

For instance, in a scenario where a virtual healthcare platform allows patients to interact with caregivers and access vital services, having real-time access to a patient’s health data from the metaverse could revolutionize healthcare practices.

To enhance their metaverse experiences, users will require a digital twin that accurately represents them while ensuring the privacy and security of generated data.

According to the researchers’ paper:

“The line between the physical and digital realms is fading. Access to the Metaverse should be safeguarded through biometric authentication methods, and decentralized digital identity systems can uphold privacy during data exchange with service providers.”

Digital ownership

As the metaverse evolves, governments and major organizations are likely to establish interoperability standards, akin to how third-party websites allow sign-ins with Google or Meta accounts.

However, this approach poses similar challenges as seen in traditional social media platforms. Data generated by users drives revenue streams, and without this data, companies like Facebook and TikTok would struggle to sell advertising space.

In the traditional internet, data ownership generally rests with the platform where it is generated. While laws vary by region, there is no decentralized option for users to access and control all their data in one repository.

The researchers advocate for user control over their data in the metaverse, suggesting a model where individuals are incentivized to participate in experiences to generate data. This data could be stored in decentralized storage, accessible only by the user and shared at their discretion for compensation.

Related: Half of the 10 most valuable companies on Earth are making metaverse hardware