In October, Mark Zuckerberg announced that they were working on metaverse, a virtual space where everyone would interact, explore the world, and forget about the real-life burdens. The news was greeted with waves of joy and resentment, and till now remains one of the most-discussed topics on the Internet.
Wasn’t life simpler even a month ago? We could play video games, watch Netfix, check the highest paying online casinos at NZCasinoHEX.com and gamble with friends. Actually, our Internet presence was more than active and everyone seemed to be satisfied. Or not? To answer the question, we have gathered different opinions, as well as the basic information you should know about Meta and the new universe.
Metaverse: definition
After the first announcement and general descriptions, most people started considering metaverse an advanced virtual reality. However, its developers and adepts believe that this technology is the future of the Internet.
While the modern Virtual Reality is mainly used for gaming, metaverse may connect you with any environment of choice. For example, offices, cinemas, restaurants, concerts, and other venues. With the help of a headset and other devices, you may experience a full immersion into the process, socialize, and conduct all the regular activities but in a virtual world. Isn’t it a great alternative considering the global pandemic?
Plans for the future
During the presentation, Mark Zuckerberg explained that they are planning to create a metaverse where people could work, play, and socialize using headsets and other devices. He said that the modern technologies are not able to develop the idea, so the industry must be changed.
When leading the virtual conference, Zuckerberg explained that they wanted to create a universe where users won’t need Facebook for other apps and services. A universe where everyone could communicate, work, and study without any strings attached. And this idea is supported by a new logo – a sign of infinity that has replaced the thumbs-up Like. To achieve this ambitious goal, the company is planning to hire 10,000 EU developers to work on the metaverse.
What experts say
Despite the thrill and hype, the idea of creating virtual worlds is not new. It was first introduced in Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson in 1992. It is a cyberpunk novel where people could interact in a virtual world using avatars. The term metaverse originated from the novel as well. So can the dystopian concept behind the virtual world be harmful?
Facebook, or Meta as it is now known, is spending billions of dollars on the project but many investors and entrepreneurs say that it is a very bad idea. According to Roger McNamee, venture capitalist and investor, the development of the metaverse should be alarming. He believes that Facebook must be prohibited to create a dystopian world. Moreover, McNamee thinks that the metaverse won’t be as transparent and safe as it is presented. And that Zuckerberg shouldn’t be in charge of the project.
Roger continued his speech during the Web Summit in Lisbon enumerating the harms that Facebook has already done. He said that this company has lost the right to make such decisions and every innovation they introduce should be first approved by policymakers.
However, another participant of the summit, Chris Cox, was more optimistic. He said that metaverse would make the Internet lass flat and allow a better quality of meetings and conferences. When discussing the product with Nicholas Carlson from the Insider, Cox shared a personal experience. He said that he, his wife, and other Facebook employees watched a comedy show, laughed, and had fun together. And all of it in a virtual world where everyone appeared as avatars.
Christopher Cox is the Chief Product Officer at Meta Platforms, a business leader, and developer. He believes that metaverse is a logical development of the Internet. It is not about their company or any other enterprise. It is about humanity.
Metaverse and the global changes
Like any other new technology, there are those who support the idea and those who are afraid of it. But the world is changing whether we like it or not, so remaining flexible and open-minded is the only way to keep up with the times.
