Governance of Minors' Digital Identities in Educational Metaverse: A Critical Policy Analysis of Data Justice in K-12 Immersive Learning Environments

Abstract

Amidst the rapid global proliferation of educational metaverse ecosystems, the governance of minors' digital identities within K-12 immersive learning environments has emerged as a critical challenge demanding urgent resolution. This investigation undertakes a systematic exploration of data justice implementation pathways and their profound implications for adolescent digital identity management through rigorous critical policy analysis. Employing a mixed-methods approach combining comparative case studies of leading immersive learning platforms with comprehensive policy document scrutiny and multi-stakeholder interviews, the research meticulously evaluates prevailing governance practices while identifying persistent systemic barriers. The findings reveal particularly pronounced policy deficiencies across three pivotal dimensions: ethically problematic data harvesting mechanisms, inadequate privacy preservation frameworks, and immature identity verification protocols. Furthermore, the analysis uncovers insufficient incorporation of adolescents' developmental specificities within existing regulatory architectures. The study consequently advocates for future policymaking that strategically harmonizes technological innovation with robust safeguards for minors' digital rights, thereby ensuring equitable access and inclusive participation within educational metaverse spaces. Through its novel theoretical framework synthesizing digital citizenship principles with distributed governance models, this research provides actionable guidelines for optimizing identity management systems while advancing sustainable educational technology development. The proposed multidimensional assessment matrix particularly contributes to bridging critical gaps between technical implementation and pedagogical ethics in emerging virtual learning environments.