Facebook is now a part of the Metaverse! What is the Metaverse?

 

Mark Zuckerberg recently changed the name of the company he founded in 2004. The company, not the app, will now be called Meta, a shortened version of his vision of the Metaverse (Click here to learn about the metaverse). This rebranding makes sense for a few reasons but is highly debatable.

 

The company has acquired several apps such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Oculus. That is a strong portfolio. It is unfair to these social media giants to be a subsidiary of one of their competitors. Nonetheless, within this Metaverse, Zuckerberg plans to compete with the internet. 

 

 

Yes, the internet! 

 

He pitched his optimistic goals to the public where users can interact, play games and shop in always-on virtual worlds. It will be a hybrid of the internet and the real world. Facebook and other companies will power it to generate augmented and virtual reality technologies in a new online realm. 

 

Some debate that Zuckerberg uses this as a distraction tool against the whistle-blower, Frances Haugen’s, damaging testimony. She leaked sensitive documents to the Securities and Exchange Commission. These documents, now known as “Facebook Papers”, provided the public with a deep dive into the company’s biggest problems. Some problems identified were how hate speech and misinformation are amplified on the platform and how collaborative groups can use the apps to cause real-world violence and harm. Yesterday, CNN reported that Haugen stated that she believes that the company would be stronger if Mark Zuckerberg stepped down as chief executive. A bold statement indeed. 

 

Microsoft and Nike are some headline companies that have quietly been gearing for this change. Microsoft has released plans to incorporate PowerPoint and Excel within the Metaverse. Users will be able to send and receive Office files and features in the virtual world. In comparison, Nike has filed several new trademarks that indicate that it intends to make and sell virtual Nike-branded sneakers and apparel. 

 

Will all this rebranding be the start of a metaverse that will parallel the internet? Or are we repeating our ignorant feelings like those with the introduction of the internet in the early 2000s? 

 

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