Mapping the metaverse minefield: A TIPS framework for security-conscious business adoption

As organisations embrace immersive environment to conduct their operations, the metaverse can be considered as a prominent technology that both enhance business efficiency and expose them to new security vulnerabilities that cannot be fully mitigated using traditional cybersecurity models. This study explores the adoption of the metaverse through the Trust, Identity, Privacy, and Security (TIPS) framework, emphasising the interdependencies between these security dimensions. Although prior research has examined these factors independently, little attention has been paid to their combined impact on organisational adoption of metaverse. Addressing this gap, we employ qualitative research based on thematic content analysis using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and the Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK), leveraging insights from in-depth interviews with business and IT professionals from micro & small, and medium enterprises (M/SMEs); entities that often lack extensive cybersecurity resources yet seek competitive advantages through digital innovation. Our findings reveal a structured hierarchical dependency between Trust, Identity, Privacy, and Security (TIPS) factors in metaverse adoption contexts, going beyond just identifying interrelationships between these elements. Specifically, trust in metaverse environments is influenced by user embodiment. The avatar as identity complicates identity verification and privacy protection as digital avatars merge physical and virtual identities. Finally, the metaverse raises privacy concerns, demanding frameworks that ensure transparency and user consent. Insights from our analysis suggest organisations should prioritise security-by-design principles while balancing implementation with user experience considerations to successfully navigate the socio-technical complexities of metaverse adoption.