Explainer | What is the metaverse, why does Facebook want in and how will it work? Here’s why it could be the future

Mark Zuckerberg wants people to start seeing Facebook as a metaverse company – a ‘virtual environment’ you can go inside of – not just a social media one

However, many enthusiasts have concerns about a new digital world tied to a company that could access even more personal data than it already does now

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Facebook wants to make a shift from social media to being a part of the metaverse, a virtual world where people can meet, work and play. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:15pm, 26 Oct 2021Updated: 9:34am, 10 Jan 2022

The term “metaverse” seems to be everywhere. Facebook is hiring thousands of engineers in Europe to work on it, while video game companies are outlining their long-term visions for what some consider the next big thing online.

The metaverse is the latest buzzword to capture the tech industry’s imagination, and it could be the future, or it could be the latest grandiose vision by Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg that doesn’t turn out as expected or isn’t widely adopted for years – if at all.

Plus, many have concerns about a new online world tied to a social media giant that could get access to even more personal data and is accused of failing to stop harmful content.

Here’s what you need to know about this online world.

A software engineer explores, with a virtual reality headset, the most detailed 3D map of the universe with the virtual reality software Virup – Virtual Reality Universe Project – developed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Photo: AP

What is the metaverse?

Think of it as the internet brought to life, or at least rendered in 3D. Zuckerberg has described it as a “virtual environment” you can go inside of – instead of just looking at on a screen. Essentially, it’s a world of endless, interconnected virtual communities where people can meet, work and play, using virtual reality headsets, augmented reality glasses, smartphone apps or other devices.

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