Through its recently launched Project Amplify, Youth Can Do IT (YCDI) Limited, a locally owned company, is opening the eyes of young people on the ethical choices they should consider as they immerse themselves in the Metaverse.

This is in line with the company’s ongoing mission to empower Jamaican youth and help develop technical talent.

It also aims to enable high school students to design and navigate digital spaces such as blogs, websites, and the emerging digital environment Metaverse.

YCDI Chief Technology Officer Christopher Derrell said: The Greener Project Amplify is a partnership between YCDI and Jesus College, University of Oxford, UK, which funded the project.

The Metaverse is a three-dimensional (3D) immersive experience of social interaction with people who are not physically in the same space. It can be accessed in a variety of ways, including smartphones, computers, and virtual reality (VR) devices.

Long-standing concerns have been raised in the industry about data privacy and security in the metaverse. It also includes issues such as cyberbullying, potential harassment, and content moderation.

“Like any social network, you will meet strangers in real life, but even more dangerous in the Metaverse is not just turning off the camera, but trading with people wearing your avatar. Giraffe … [or] A man but a woman. So you have to be extra careful how you treat yourself in that space,” Derrell said in reference to defense.

cyber bullying

From a moral standpoint, YCDI wants young people to be aware of the kind of environment they find themselves in and how to respect others in that space, he continued.

“Because one of the things we touched [in a Jamaican context] We know that just as it is easy to fall prey to criminals online, it can also have the ramifications of becoming a victim of cyberbullying. [you think] They can’t track you or find you,” Derrell said.

Founded in 2016, the organization aims to become not only a pipeline of digital and technology talent for the Caribbean, but also a pioneering hub for the Metaverse.

The fourth of five phases of the project, a free summer camp for 12 young content creators aged 10 to 16 to engage in the responsible design and use of emerging digital spaces, has recently concluded. Camp attendees engaged in thoughtful discussions around ethical considerations surrounding this transformative digital realm, led by experts from Jesus University.

YCDI’s Human Resources Manager, Cherika Wilson, said that at YCDI’s orientation, which was held to explain the contents of the summer camp, there was a certain level of appreciation for the efforts of parents, and that the parents also experienced the Metaverse. said it can. themselves.

The entire project is scheduled to be finished in October.

Wilson said that because more research is being done to mitigate the risks associated with using technologies under development, initiatives like Project Amplify are more likely to target the general public, who are likely to be targeted by such technologies. He said it could be especially helpful in educating future generations.

“It’s important for them to understand how it works rather than just sit back and absorb different technologies without thinking.” [so] They can participate in creating that process,” she said.

raise the voices of young people

Wilson added that YCDI, which focuses on content creation, wants to ensure that the project will amplify the voices of young people and ensure that their concerns are heard online and in the metaverse. Their evaluations and objections to the Metaverse were discussed in relation to responsibly designing the space.

“We want to tell Jamaica as a whole to keep young people out of the conversation. They are often targeted with many products out there,” Wilson said. Ta.

Wilson explained that the ultimate goal is to produce an ethical guidelines document that can be submitted to the Jamaican government, and a larger research project is being explored.

“The focus is on getting students of all ages to enroll and graduate. [organisation] As leaders they are better than before and they will continue to refer this to others, friends, but also [provide exposure] For facilitators involved in educating the next generation,” said Derrell.

“We have a lot of good people in this country who can code and are highly qualified, but they probably don’t have access to the US market, so we want them to be involved in YCDI as well. I would like to,” he added.

asha.wilks@gleanerjm.com