China Aims to Establish Control Over the Metaverse

But how did we get here? For many users, the metaverse has always been a network of immersive game worlds. That was the primary perception during the metaverse's nascent phases. However, over time, the metaverse has matured into a sophisticated online tool with boundless potential. It’s this very potential that China seeks to harness, shaping both the virtual and tangible world to its vision.

The ITU task force on metaverses was established in December 2022. Its primary aim is to stand as a global arena where experts and regulatory figures exchange insights, further setting the course for standards in the domain of immersive internet.

But signs of China's intent to exert total control over the metaverse appeared much earlier, notably in 2020. That year, China was actively pushing for a monitored version of the global web and pitched the idea of introducing universal standards tailored to new tech. Telecom titan Huawei made headlines with its bold proposal: to reshape how internet protocols work and devise a mechanism to trace the online activity of every individual.

While these ambitious moves from the Celestial Empire were bogged down in extensive deliberations back then, they didn't signal China's retreat from its virtual world ambitions. Fast forward to recent times, the spotlight is on proposals from the world’s leading mobile operator, China Mobile, directed at the ITU task force members. They're unveiling a “Digital Identity System” concept, promising vast avenues for virtual world governance. The idea? To mesh an individual’s innate and societal features – spanning everything from recognizable traits to their job – into a singular digital identity. Storing this comprehensive data continuously, especially with the option to relay it to law enforcement agencies, is seen as a measure to impose order and ensure safety in digital realms. 

“To build a unified digital identity system, to give each human a unique digital ID that includes social characteristics from social media and occupation — that sounds a lot like China's social credit system” analysts at Friends of Europe comment.

Specialists highlight that China's proposal cannot be considered in isolation. It aligns closely with the Chinese social credit system, a framework that evaluates a citizen's trustworthiness based on a myriad of factors. In the system's early stages, certain behaviors deemed inappropriate led to individuals being denied access to specific public services. Gradually, this social credit approach has been adopted by various governmental bodies and regional entities, affecting areas like public transportation, travel, internet access, financial services, and more.

The West grows increasingly wary of China's proactive involvement in developing global metaverse standards. Observations from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington indicate China is overwhelmingly presenting the ITU with their initiatives, with backing from the Chinese government. 

A decision regarding China’s Digital Identification System is on the agenda for this coming fall at the ITU's session in Geneva. These decisions necessitate striking a balance between individual privacy, security, and forward-thinking innovation. In these debates, China is poised to play a dominant role. The U.S. and its democratic partners are now in a race against time to develop counterpoints and voice a collective perspective, aiming to safeguard the metaverse from becoming a vast monitoring apparatus.