The metaverse, despite recent setbacks, is showing signs of growth and attracting the attention of businesses. However, companies must be aware of the challenges they face in the metaverse, particularly in terms of digital social responsibility (DSR). Three types of challenges stand out: targeting children, addiction, and harassment.

To address these challenges, businesses should take a proactive approach and act on three fronts simultaneously. First, they should influence the platforms to develop preemptive measures, such as A.I.-based content moderation, to reduce the risks of doing business in the metaverse. Second, they should create industry-wide standards to facilitate better regulation, which may initially affect revenues but will eventually bring several benefits. Finally, they should develop compliance capabilities, including setting up internal teams to comply with regulations, to deal with the policies governing social media and online gaming that are gradually extending to include the metaverse.

In summary, companies must take their DSR seriously if they are to succeed in the metaverse. They must develop a set of principles whose execution must be the joint responsibility of platforms, companies, and governments. The metaverse ecosystem's stakeholders must ensure alignment not just in value creation and capture but also in making the metaverse a safe place for every user. (fortune)