The amazing technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR Tech) bring with them incredible opportunity for individuals, commerce and society at large. What was once the domain of science fiction has become reality, or are slated for use in the foreseeable future.

Access to 4IR tech is increasingly made possible through digital means, much of which happens in a hybrid between an online and the real world, or even entirely online, so much so that while we only existed in the real, physical world in the past, we now partly live digitally. We’re becoming hybrids with both a real and digital self.

This is a radical change and it can cause a variety of challenges in its wake, such as concerns about security, privacy and the fictionalisation of news and facts. Everything seems to change in the digitisation process.

In this issue of Beyond Imagining we tackle some of the conundrums that arise with becoming fully or partially digital. Our articles examine what the metaverse is, or could be, we highlight how online security is being adapted through 4IR Tech and suggest hacking yourself to see how secure you really are online.

Fact-checking can be a full-time job these days with hard-to-spot deepfake video and every interpretation under the sun. Everyone can have their own voice heard online and this means we must be vigilant about taking anything at face value. In our Spot the fakes article we offer some guidance.

In addition, this issue features stories about how to manage messaging apps and we guide you on how to avoid ransomware attacks (and what to do when it happens).

The brave new world powered by 4IR Tech is astonishing in what it offers us, but digital pitfalls can cause much harm. We trust this eighth issue of Beyond Imagining will assist you in navigating cyberspace a bit more informed and somewhat safer.