The Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) of the Hong Kong Police has launched a metaverse platform.
Takeaway points
- The Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) of the Hong Kong Police launched a Metaverse platform called “CyberDefender Metaverse.”.
- The launch aims to help prevent cybercrime from happening in the metaverse.
- The event attracted over 120 teenagers, teachers, and parents, as well as over 350 members of the public who had visited the gallery since mid-May, when it was opened for beta testing.
- The police force held an online event called “Exploring the Metaverse” on the same day of the launch.
The Launch of the “CyberDefender Metaverse” Platform
On Saturday, the police force in Hong Kong announced the launch of a new metaverse platform called “CyberDefender”. According to the press release, the aim of the launch is to notify the public about the latest advancements in information technology and also help prevent cybercrimes from happening in the metaverse. The event attracted over 120 teenagers, teachers, and parents, as well as over 350 members of the public, who had visited the gallery since mid-May, when it was opened for beta testing, according to the report.
During the launch, the Chief Inspector of the CSTCB, Mr. IP Cheuk-yu, talked about some problems in the metaverse and how to prevent crime.
He also said, “All the crimes in cyberspace could also happen in the Metaverse, such as investment frauds, unauthorized access to systems, theft, and sexual offences.”
Mr. IP further added that “The decentralized nature and use of virtual assets in Web3 may also increase the likelihood of cyber criminals targeting endpoint devices, virtual asset wallets, and smart contracts.”
The police said that to promote the digital literacy of the younger generation, they will continue to organize public educational initiatives to teach people through the “CyberDefender Metaverse” platform.
“To enhance the digital literacy of the younger generation, police will continue to organize public educational initiatives on different themes through the “CyberDefender Metaverse” platform, raise the awareness among teenagers regarding the latest advancements in information technology, potential pitfalls, and the importance of preventing technology crimes, as well as better preparing them to seize the opportunities in the digital age.”
Exploring the Metaverse
According to the report, on the same day as the launch of the Metaverse platform, the police force held an online event called “Exploring the Metaverse”. The “CyberDefender Metaverse” platform has three virtual venues, CyberDefender City and the Web3-themed Gallery, which were open to the public. People could enter freely to explore and learn more about the metaverse and other Web3 knowledge, which will enable them to prepare for the challenges ahead in the digital age, the report said.
The Cyber Crime Activities
The police said that cybercriminals took advantage of the public’s lack of knowledge about virtual assets and lured them into non-existent investment activities, causing financial losses and social impacts.
In 2022, Hong Kong recorded 2336 virtual asset-related cases with a loss of $1.7 billion, and in the first quarter of this year, they received 663 cases of this kind with a total loss of $570 million.
By launching the metaverse platform, the CSTCB Police in Hong Kong have joined the list of companies, countries, brands, etc. that want to introduce Web3 to their younger generations.
