This chapter of The Metaverse: A Critical Assessment explores how the metaverse can be developed and governed responsibly. Responsible development and governance involve not only maximizing potential benefits but also proactively mitigating risks by upholding rights, maintaining ethical standards, and promoting individual and collective well-being—ensuring that the metaverse serves the public good. It also requires meaningful engagement from all stakeholders involved in its design, deployment, and use. To support this, the chapter presents strategies, guidelines, and methods for addressing social and ethical challenges across the metaverse’s lifecycle. Key questions include: How can social and ethical risks be effectively identified and mitigated? What roles and responsibilities do different actors hold, and how can they collaborate toward shared goals? The chapter begins with a general multistakeholder framework for responsible governance, followed by approaches to responsible development and operation. Each section considers the actions key actors can take—and the responsibilities they bear—to ensure the metaverse evolves in a just, inclusive, and accountable way.