Facebook (now Meta) has a vision of a metaverse to help people connect more deeply through the virtual world. But there are 3 fears about this.
Metaverse is a digital tangible world that can replace the presence of the physical world in several ways, including working, playing games, buying and selling, building cities to watching shows. You could say, metaverse is mixed reality (MR), combining digital and the real world using virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
Launching Make Use Of, here are three fears that arise about the metaverse. Although everything has its good and bad, it never hurts to read about these fears. Agree or not, let you decide.
1. Privacy issues
Facebook's security practices are often brought to the attention of the public. One of them is the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018.
Although other big companies like Google also have user data, Facebook has bigger data, especially after buying WhatsApp and Instagram.
Current MR devices are equipped with eye, face, hand and body tracking technology. A pilot study at the international Symposium on Wearable Computers even installed an MR device with an electroencephalogram (EEG) system that can record brain activity.
In addition to the data that Meta already has about its users, the company will get more personal information about users through MR tools. Meta may be able to estimate your physical characteristics, the way you walk, talk, and think, and other details about your personality.
2. Gen Z, be careful of addiction
Social media can be addictive, especially for young users. It is already hurting people's mental health and as society becomes more and more immersed in the digital world, it makes it less connected to the physical world.
With such a sizable user base, Meta is the main reason for this to happen. A series of investigations in the Wall Street Journal showed that most young Facebook users are aware of their addiction to their products, but feel trapped and unable to reduce their use.
According to a report by Insider, the company recruited influencers on TikTok who certainly have a large Gen Z user base, to promote its dream of building a metaverse. Mark Zuckerberg has explicitly said that the company's main goal is to attract young adults to its platform.
3. Monopoly of digital life
Metaverse promises humans can enter the 'next level' that covers almost everything on the internet. Many things are not possible on the internet today such as dancing, singing, or exercising. But this can make sense with the metaverse.
While that is certainly interesting, the Meta-dominated metaverse will only put more of the possibilities of this new social life in the hands of one company. Other companies are likely to experience a major business shock as a result.