IBM are totally in love with the metaverse, and are currently churning out ideas related to virtual worlds at a rate of knots. Their latest wheeze is to give avatars a sort of virtual passport that allows them to keep the same appearance and possessions as they travel between different synthetic spaces. Which is a nice idea, but it could be a slippery slope. Next thing you know, you’ll have to get a replacement virtual passport with a virtual RFID chip in it. And then you’ll have to remove your avatar’s shoes and dispose of any virtual liquids before starting your journey …