What The Metaverse Could Get Right
It’s all in how we, the consumer, use it.
One of the most important things to note about Meta’s “metaverse” is that we don’t know exactly what it will look like. Perhaps that’s why Mark Zuckerberg opened his October keynote presentation with,
“Actual results may differ materially that those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements… and we undertake no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements. ” (0:02–0:13)
Putting life as we know it online is quite ambitious, especially for a tech corporation led by contentious social media magnate Mark Zuckerberg.
There’s a lot of speculation around this stage of social media and the internet, and before jumping to any conclusions, it’s important to note what we already know. Facebook has been (and still is) involved in a number of lawsuits, beginning with the infamous Cambridge Analytica data breach. Mark Zuckerberg has had to defend Facebook in front of congress a few times. And Facebook (Meta) is still in wraps for an antitrust lawsuit with Phhhoto, a lawsuit with the Financial Trade Commission for illegal monopolization of the social media sector, and is currently facing federal investigation for placing profits over individual and communal well-being, according to evidence secured by former employee Frances Haugen.
Facebook (now Meta) has been busy. With the acquisition of numerous subsidiary companies such as Instagram, WhatsApp, Giphy, Oculus, and numerous more, it’s clear that Facebook’s (Meta’s) business trajectory has been one of tech growth, invention, partnership, and ownership. Back in 2014, Insider published an article on Zuckerberg where he is stated saying, “These are real changes that we’re making so people can rely on us as a critical infrastructure for building all of their apps across every mobile platform.” And it seems that this goal of “critical infrastructure” leads to further development, the prospective metaverse.
Trusting the new budding iteration of the internet is going to be troublesome given Meta’s past and present rap sheet. A lot of questions will have to be answered. If Facebook struggled to keep people safe on its social media site(s), as made apparent through the Cambridge Analytica scandal, open organization of the January U.S. capital occupation, and visible human trafficking market, how will they plan to do so in an immersive virtual reality? What will be the effects of an all-embodying and augmented virtual reality upon the fabric of our society? What will all this new technology mean for e-waste, and will the metaverse be environmentally sustainable? Most of these questions won’t be answered until we’re already living in the metaverse, which means we won’t know of any issue until we’re in the middle of it.
This is all reminiscent of social media’s first influx into our society. Only after years of use and conducted studies have we found the adverse and positive effects of its use upon people and communities.
Since a lot of the metaverse is currently in incubation and lives hypothetically, we can still think of the ways in which the metaverse can be good for those who join. In some ways, the metaverse can actually help people live in the real world.
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
One way virtual reality can help people is by providing trial simulations for those who need help confronting uncomfortable, real-world situations. This is a tactic used in exposure therapy. By guiding and prompting people to confront fears and discomfort, exposure therapy uses experiences to help patients overcome anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and other disorders. According to the American Psychological Association, exposure therapy helps patients overcome distress, anxiety, overwhelming fear, and other debilitating emotions through experiential exposure. One of the major ways the metaverse can help people live in the real world is by hosting situations congruent with emotional development.
Virtual reality possesses the power to host any imaginable scenario. Therapy included or not, contextual trial runs in the metaverse can be an effective way for people to gain vital experience. Imagine somebody with a stutter who wants to improve their presentation skills. A person who’s been involved in a traumatic car accident needs help regaining confidence behind the wheel. Young adults want to master social and professional interactions before a big interview. The metaverse could help people confront their fears. It can help people improve their self-image and efficacy if they feel and see themselves (and not an avatar version of themselves) in the face of challenging actions.
These are just ideas to quell any foreboding
Bobby Elliott said it best,
The metaverse will solve real world problems. Travel for one. The need to physically travel will evaporate when you can teleport anywhere. Education for another. You’ll learn more (and better) in virtual worlds than you ever could in the real world… Rampant consumerism will shift from the physical world to the virtual world — and potentially save the planet… You will experience things in the metaverse that you can’t imagine. Age, race, gender, disability and physical appearance will be irrelevant.
Bobby Elliot estimates viable and prospective solutions to some of our current and most pressing problems. Our global gas emissions could significantly decrease by traveling via a code-lined internet connection instead of by airplane flight. The rate at which we’ll produce trash from consumer goods can decrease if merchants and products move online (as we’re seeing with NFTs). And, as long as someone can afford the technological experience, there’s the opportunity for people to create other realities independent of their physical mobility.
I’m not trying to indicate that Meta plans to improve any of our existential or environmental issues, because, as based on Meta’s history, it appears that its main motive is profit, which also tends to be the nature of most businesses. But what I am suggesting is that those who choose to engage in the metaverse have a choice in how they use the metaverse to their advantage. Moreover, it’s also important to take a close look at Meta’s history and take it into consideration: the data breach, the implications that have had on political elections and movements around the world, how advertisements and algorithms work inside social media sites, etc. Perhaps knowing this will make us better equipped to handle what will come next in the future of online realities.
Business Insider recently published an article citing experts in the tech field (including virtual reality and augmented reality) and their predictions of what the metaverse could look like. An array of news and opinion outlets have published their opinion on the incipient metaverse, and if you plan to invest and/or join the future of the internet, it’ll be important to gather information on what you’re planning to dive into. By doing some research, we can become better equipped to guard our mental health, personal information, and overall freedom. You will have some say as to what you are exposed to in the metaverse, as opposed to becoming a victim to its trends and algorithms. This time around the public won’t have to go into the online world blindly. And it would be wise to gather information from more than just one source, such as Meta or any of its subsidiaries.
Just as with any tool, the inception of the metaverse can be a good thing
The metaverse, like any other company or consumer good, is highly influenced by its consumer and market trends. The consumer helps to mold the product in use and trends that emerge. Therefore users have the power to influence the future of the metaverse. Anything that we imagine in the online universe is likely to happen.
It’s important to keep an open mind and listen to what experts have to say about this next shift in technology. And, just as important, we should look at past mistakes made with social media, from the macro to the micro. How much of our opinions and lives do we want to share online? Do we know the terms and agreement box we check off on? How will we protect ourselves in an interactive, immersive online world? Will obsolete technology relating to the metaverse be recyclable? Will the entirety of our homes need cameras and surveillance for metaverse integration? Will we spend more time in the metaverse than in real reality? Does the metaverse align with personal morals and ethics? What is my two-sense about this?
There’s a lot we don’t know. But we do have a choice.
To gain a better understanding of the metaverse, check out Bobby Elliot’s latest article:
I also highly recommend reading Business Insider’s foretelling excerpt of what walking down a metaverse sidewalk can look like:
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