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Metaverse gathers pace in China as Baidu, NetEase join rush to register trademarks related to the internet’s next phase
- The trademark applications filed by Baidu and NetEase followed recent metaverse-related initiatives by Tencent, Alibaba and ByteDance
- A state-run think tank in China had earlier warned about national security risks involved with the metaverse
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Metaverse, the concept of a shared virtual environment that users access via the internet, is gathering momentum in China, as Baidu and NetEase join other Big Tech firms in applying for trademarks related to this field amid concerns over the risks involved in the new business model.
NetEase, the Hangzhou-based video gaming giant, and its subsidiaries filed dozens of metaverse-related trademark applications in late October, according to Chinese business registration tracking platform Qichacha.
The trademark applications filed by the NetEase group include monikers that combine the word “metaverse” with the names of the company and its artificial intelligence (AI) research and gaming units, such as “NetEase metaverse”, “Fuxi metaverse” and “Leihuo metaverse”. These applications cover various categories including design research, communications services, and education and entertainment.
Chinese search engine and AI systems provider Baidu applied to trademark the term “metaapp” in the scientific instruments and design research categories, according to data from Qichacha.
Baidu’s applications were filed on October 29, a day after Facebook chairman and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced the company’s rebranding as Meta to better reflect the future direction of the global social media powerhouse.
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Zuckerberg announces Facebook changing name to Meta to stress ‘metaverse’ plan
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The metaverse – a term coined by American writer Neal Stephenson for his 1992 science-fiction novel Snow Crash – refers to a lifelike, immersive virtual world where people can meet, work and play using devices including virtual reality (VR) headsets, video gaming consoles, and gadgets that offer augmented reality technology like smartphones and smart glasses. Many consider the metaverse as the next phase of the internet.
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