Which one of the following words/phrases is most appropriately used to denote "an interoperable network of 3D virtual worlds that can be accessed simultaneously by millions of users, who can exert property rights over virtual items"?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) Metaverse
The description fits the metaverse: a shared, persistent network of 3D virtual worlds that very many users can be in at the same time, where things like identity, entitlements and objects carry over. Big data analytics and cryptography are ways of handling or securing data, not virtual worlds.
- ✓ (c) ITU's technical report describes the metaverse as an interoperable network of real-time 3D virtual worlds experienced by a very large number of users, with continuity of data such as identity, entitlements and objects.
- ✗ (a) Big data analytics means analysing very large datasets to find patterns. It says nothing about virtual worlds or ownership of virtual items.
- ✗ (b) Cryptography secures information with codes. It supports digital assets, but it is a security technique, not a network of worlds.
Remember · Metaverse: a persistent, interoperable network of 3D virtual worlds where many users are present together and carry identity, entitlements and objects across worlds.
Sources
- ITU Focus Group Technical Report FGMV-32, Overview of metaverse (June 2024), characteristics ↗ “A massively scaled and interoperable network of real-time rendered 3D virtual worlds that can be experienced synchronously and persistently by an effectively unlimited number of users … Metaverse is defined as an integrative ecosystem of virtual worlds offering immersive experiences to users that modify pre-existing and create new value from economic, environmental, social and cultural perspectives”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·