What is the Metaverse?

What is the Metaverse?

It’s important when learning about the Metaverse to remember that it is a concept that is still in development. This means most news reports and media stories, including this article, are subject to change and may not cover every aspect as the Metaverse continues to evolve.

The Metaverse is a shared virtual space for users across the internet to access content, play games, purchase items, and build environments. It incorporates digital experiences such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and blockchain into a constant virtual space.

Imagine you come home from work or school after a long day and login to the Metaverse. You’re able to access an ‘online universe’ where the limits of your day-to-day life disappear in an instant. Want to fly on a broomstick or own a pet lion? Want to play chess with someone from across the world or have a picnic in the Colosseum? You can do all of this in the Metaverse while also interacting with other people – even if you’re just in your living room.

The true aim of the metaverse is to transform the way that people connect with each other online. However, the Metaverse is largely a concept. It is not an individual product that is owned by one company. The term ‘metaverse’ is being used by companies involved in its development, like Meta (Facebook) and Google, but it is a wider network that hopes to eventually connect various platforms and virtual spaces.

We are likely to continue hearing more and more about the Metaverse as it grows and changes.

How does the Metaverse work?

The main idea for the Metaverse is to create social experiences in an open world across the entire internet with unlimited users. This will involve virtual avatars, identities, and belongings that can be taken everywhere across the Metaverse. The hope is that every user will be able to digitally exist in their own customisable reality and explore others.

There are multiple ways to access the Metaverse in its current state. It’s accessible via computers, mobiles, and gaming consoles. For an immersive, ‘liveable’ experience, VR equipment is the most popular option, but it is not necessary to experience the Metaverse.

As it is still in development, the Metaverse will undergo many changes over the next few years. Some experts believe we won’t see the ‘real’ Metaverse for quite a while.

What does it allow you to do?

In the same way older generations saw dial-up internet transform into high-speed, today we are experiencing the early stages of Metaverse technology. As it becomes more developed, the Metaverse will grow more appealing to use.

You will be able to:

• create your own avatar to identify yourself in the Metaverse
• interact with other people (in avatar form) from all over the world
• explore and engage with different locations and places
• build your own products, structures, and worlds
• purchase products, structures, and worlds (for example, Non-Fungible Tokens, known as NFTs)

Platforms like Horizon Worlds, an early example of what the Metaverse aims to accomplish on a larger scale, showcase some of these digital abilities already.

Are there any risks involved?

As with any digital forum, there are risks and concerns involved. This is especially true of the Metaverse as it currently does not have a true or regulated form. Over the next few years, you will likely begin to see legislation come into effect that will attempt to exert some level of control over user behaviour and interaction.

Some of the risks we have discovered are:

• no effective age verification measures
• lack of moderation and/or privacy controls
• physical side effects (for example, nausea, injury, eye strain)
• manipulation of senses (for example, disorientation, anxiety)
• exposure to inappropriate content
• harassment and exploitation

Advice

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of new technology being released into the world - especially if you’re still getting used to your last phone update! The most important thing to do is to educate yourself on what the Metaverse is, how it can be used, and what you can do to keep yourself and others safe.

Some tips to help you mitigate the risks of the Metaverse are:

• implement healthy screen time habits for your household
• protect your personal information by not sharing it with others online
• use all new technology responsibly in a safe environment (for example, your home)
• familiarise yourself with blocking and reporting functions on individual platforms

As the Metaverse is still conceptual, it remains unclear what impact it will have on society, especially on children and young people. It is a popular buzzword in news outlets and social media platforms, even if there is confusion over ‘what’ it is. There is some concern from the companies developing the Metaverse that the development goal is not being taken as seriously as it should be by consumers. This, however, is a normal and expected response to anything that is ‘in development’. To keep yourself informed and up to date, it’s important to stay on top of any new developments from trusted online sources.