Virtual Reality Games Software are computer generated applications that simulate the real world or create fantasy experiences that are not possible in physical environment. The emergence of virtual reality is as a result of rapid advancement of technology that has made it easy to access social media and other technologies that have greatly affected the wellbeing of the most society [1]. These software are developed using a pair of goggles called Oculus Rift that provides users with a given experience that is not part of their surroundings. Even though this advance in technology has a lot of positive effects, they can be harmful to users and society at large in greater heights. Therefore, the focus of this report is to discuss various dangers associated with virtual reality games software to its users and the environment at large.
This is one of the dangers of virtual reality games software. Most people are so much into virtual reality games and social media thus making them loose touch with the real world. This has resulted too many issues such as deaths, due to excessive gaming and addictions. For instance in South Korea, a couple who were addicted to virtual reality gaming caused the death of a 3-month child due to neglect thus leaving the child to starve to death [2]. These couple had become more obsessed with virtual gaming which disconnected them from parental duties thus causing the death of their child. This kind of danger is so extreme since it is as a result of virtual games occupy the mind of the users to appoint their forget about their normal duties such as parental role, keeping fit, interacting with others among others. With addiction in virtual gaming the users are subjected to a fantasy world with simulated experiences other than the real experiences in the surrounding environment.
In other incidences the players spend even 18 hours in video games such as world of Warcraft, these bring about risks on their social lives and personal relationship with others. This is because these kind of people do not have time for others and all they think about is how to accomplish the tasks in their virtual reality games hence drifting them apart from their friends and families [3]. Due to addiction most of the video game players lose interest to activities in the real world and remove themselves from various social groups that they once belong to.
The fact that virtual reality gaming tricks the mind to be in a certain situation that is not the real situation is a physical risk by itself. These tricks can cause phobias such as fear of heights, animals, cars or any other imaginary features [4]. This in turn can lead to health issues such as shock especially where the user has developed fear on a certain thing and fails to be able to control that fear. Such effects are severe and may fatally affect the users of virtual reality games.
Another physical risks exposed to users by virtual reality software include nausea, eye strains and headaches. Being subjected into the world of fantasy such as movements of objects or landscape up and down while in real sense you are standing or seated still can lead to the user experiencing regular headaches that are also as a result of straining too much on the simulated screens [5]. This leads to nausea since the moves in the virtual reality do not match the moves in the real world. This level of sickness increases with the increase in difference of what the user is experiencing in the virtual reality and what the exact experience is in the real world.
Virtual reality software are not secure enough to protect the user’s information and communication since this technology is open source and operates via the internet connection. According to a report by US Army, the use, of virtual reality software is associated with various risks due to the way they are deployed. The method of deployment does not put in to consideration proper security mechanism that protects its users thus these software can be used to facilitate cybercrime activities such as hacking, information theft, and spread of malware among others. The fact that virtual reality games software allows users to upload their own information online and create complex interactions with unknown persons is a security threat by itself [6]. Also with virtual reality the communication between users is not encrypted, therefore all the users’ passwords are sent to the server unencrypted this exposes users communications to risks such as communication interception, hacking as well as affecting the information privacy of these users.
Virtual reality can affect how people behave in their normal lives or at their place of work. Some of the users might try to do what they see in the virtual world thus leading behavioral change running from how they handle other people. For instance, due to excessive exposure to virtual reality, employees might handle customers differently from their code of conduct thus causing problems for themselves as well as the company. Virtual reality gaming might cause a person to say things that are not allowed in their working place or surrounding, others might dress inappropriately as a result of what they experience in the virtual world. These sudden changes on behaviors can be so costly by separating one from others or even leading to a person losing their jobs.
According to a study American Academy of Neurology, virtual reality games leads to generation of dopamine which is a bodily chemical that causes the brain to experience pleasure [7]. This chemical makes the players to feel happy and create a sense of accomplishment in their mind after completing short assignments in the virtual reality games. This chemical in turn can cause addiction in gambling and drug abuse to the players as a way of satisfying their accomplishment. This effect is commonly experienced by young adults and teens since their frontal lobes of their brain is not well developed and this makes them to make fast decisions without weighing the consequences hence exposing them to these additions as a result of dopamine released during virtual gaming. This therefore can change the behavior of a person from the normal one to that of addiction to drugs, gambling or other things that the players subject themselves to after successful accomplishment of their video gaming task [8].
Virtual reality games also change how users think. Some players when are so much affected with virtual games that they tend to solve real problems using ideas that they got from video gaming yet in real sense these ideas are impossible to implement [9]. Therefore, these players are made to think and solve issues using virtual reality solutions rather than approaching problems the normal way [10]. This effect can affect the performance of many individuals especially if the players are students.
Conclusion
In conclusion, despite technology having great positive impact to how people live in the world today, there are aspects of it that exposes the users to great risks as experienced in virtual reality games software. These effects are so serious that they can affect so many things in the life of a person. These risks include disconnection from the real world due to virtual reality gaming addictions. As discussed this can really separate the player from social life as well as affect their personal relationship. Security risks is another danger associated with this technology due to lack of security mechanisms such as encryption and protection of players private information [11]. Also excessive use of this technology can affect how people behaves or approach issues in real life due to their mind being occupied by virtual world fantasies. Finally, virtual reality gaming can result to health issues such as eyes problems, shock due to heightened fear of virtual world features such as animals, landscapes among others.
Therefore, players of virtual reality games should be very cautious to ensure that they do not fall victims of the discussed dangers. They should be careful on how long they spend in these virtual reality games in order not to get addicted to them something that might push them away from their real surroundings.
References
[1]S. STEIN, “The dangers of virtual reality”, CNET, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.cnet.com/news/the-dangers-of-virtual-reality/. [Accessed: 30- Apr- 2018].
[2]M. Tran, “Girl starved to death while parents raised virtual child in online game”, the Guardian, 2010. [Online]. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/05/korean-girl-starved-online-game. [Accessed: 30- Apr- 2018].
[3]A. NG, “VR hacks could put players in harm’s way, researchers say”, CNET, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.cnet.com/news/hack-a-vr-system-lead-a-player-astray-yes-say-researchers/. [Accessed: 30- Apr- 2018].
[4]W. Fenlon, “The dangers of bad virtual reality”, pcgamer, 2015. [Online]. Available: https://www.pcgamer.com/the-dangers-of-bad-virtual-reality/. [Accessed: 30- Apr- 2018].
[5]J. WEBBER, “The Dangers of Virtual Reality Erotica – IGN”, IGN, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/12/16/the-dangers-of-virtual-reality-erotica. [Accessed: 30- Apr- 2018].
[6]M. Korolov and M. Korolov, “Risk Management – The Real Risks of Virtual Reality”, Rmmagazine.com, 2014. [Online]. Available: https://www.rmmagazine.com/2014/10/01/the-real-risks-of-virtual-reality/. [Accessed: 30- Apr- 2018].
[7]T. Henry, “The Dangers of Giving in to Virtual Reality”, Reporter Magazine, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://reporter.rit.edu/views/dangers-giving-virtual-reality. [Accessed: 30- Apr- 2018].
[8]J. Seetharaman, “What Does Virtual Reality Do to Your Body and Mind?”, WSJ, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-does-virtual-reality-do-to-your-body-and-mind-1451858778. [Accessed: 30- Apr- 2018].
[9]D. Magyari, “Virtual reality: Are health risks being ignored?”, CNBC, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.cnbc.com/2016/01/08/virtual-reality-are-health-risks-being-ignored-commentary.html. [Accessed: 30- Apr- 2018].
[10]E. Mott, “Advantages & Disadvantages of Virtual Reality | Techwalla.com”, Techwalla, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.techwalla.com/articles/advantages-disadvantages-of-virtual-reality. [Accessed: 30- Apr- 2018].
[11]E. Sabelman and R. Lam, “The Real-Life Dangers of Augmented Reality”, IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News, 2015. [Online]. Available: https://spectrum.ieee.org/consumer-electronics/portable-devices/the-reallife-dangers-of-augmented-reality. [Accessed: 30- Apr- 2018].
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