Children will spend ten years of their life in the metaverse

Published by

Stephen Emerson

Children will spend as many as ten years of their lifespan inside the metaverse, according to Britain’s Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

The report is released in the week when Meta reveal its market value fell by $230billion and daily users of the platform fell for the first time ever.

An IET study found children are likely to spend up to two hours and 45 minutes a day in virtual realities.

The paper was published in line with new legislation, the Online Safety Bill, which is currently under scrutiny in the House of Commons.

Calculated over the projected lifespan of children, it means 2022 newborns will, on average, spend more than a decade of their life in virtual reality surroundings.

The metaverse and associated VR software and hardware, not to mention exciting technological developments which open up the virtual world to other senses including smell are developing apace.

Co-author of the IET report Catherine Allen said: “Through our research, we estimate that the next generation will spend around ten years of their lives in VR."

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Stephen Emerson

Stephen Emerson is the Managing Editor of The Business Magazine and is responsible for the publication's print publications and online properties including the newly launched Biz News websites in Hampshire and Dorset. Stephen has been a journalist for 20 years and has worked at local, regional and national publications and led a team which made The Scotsman website one of the fastest growing news sites in the UK with over eight million monthly users. He has a keen interest in technology, property and corporate finance and telling the stories of the people behind the successful firms in these sectors.