5 reasons why no one cares about Metaverse

Ever since Facebook rebranded itself as Meta, the tech industry has been talking about the idea of ​​a metaverse, a kind of digital utopia where you can do whatever you want and do whatever you want. The idea is really interesting and enthusiasts and content creators from all over the world are giving their opinion on its future.

However, the average user is not at all interested in the metaverse, and the collapse of Meta shares is not very reassuring. In this article, we will see why most people are not interested in this concept.

1. Poor graphics and lack of immersion

From the start, Meta took a big gamble: it made too many promises to deliver in a reasonable amount of time. When we think of the Metaverse, we imagine an immersive virtual world completely free of human boundaries.

As Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, “…my dream was to feel close to the people we care about.” Isn’t this the ultimate promise of technology? To be with everyone, teleport anywhere and create and experience something? “.

Given these expectations, it’s no surprise that people reacted negatively when Zuckerberg posted the photo below, which shows off what appear to be the first renderings of the metaverse.

For context, the average limited-scope AAA game takes about two to five years or more to build. Metaverse has a much, much wider scope. It strives to succeed on the Internet as we know it, and in some cases replaces the real world.

The ultimate goal is to enable virtually everything to be done virtually, such as shopping, socializing, working, playing, learning and creating. But in its current state, it does none of these things.

The amount of human labor and time required to create such a world is unfathomable, and certainly not something that can be built in a few years. Some people even argue that pursuing a metaverse is pointless because technology is ahead of our time.

2. VR headsets are expensive and bulky

The second problem with Metaverse is that it isn’t available to many people yet. Current VR headsets are overpriced, not entirely comfortable, and difficult to store and transport.

Of course, the design will inevitably improve over time, but the price can only come down if the technology is adopted by the masses and production increases dramatically. And so far, there are no very serious data to prove a change in the trend.

The ultimate goal is to reduce the size of VR headsets to a simple pair of glasses similar to the ones you wear today. This will solve many problems; for example, you can use your glasses as an augmented reality device in the real world and switch to virtual reality when you want to return to the metaverse.

The glasses will also be lighter and less tiring than current bulky VR headsets, and memory won’t be an issue since you’ll only need a regular goggle case. Currently, VR headsets are not affordable for most people.

3. Security and Privacy Issues

Another reason people shy away from the idea of ​​a metaverse is the inevitable security and privacy risks it would bring, especially when its biggest defender, Meta, has a long history of countless scandals and repeated failures to protect user privacy.

And let’s not forget that for a VR headset to work, it must constantly listen to your voice, track your eye movements, and read your facial expressions. Other complementary devices can track your hand and body movements and know your general body composition.

This is necessary for your metaverse avatar to look realistic and accurately represent you, but it also means that companies can now collect an incredible amount of sensitive biometric data. For example, they can see your behavioral patterns and learn what kinds of things you react positively or negatively to and use this data to further personalize dangerously targeted ads.

Add to that information about you, such as your age, location, gender, social circles, ethnicity, browsing history, and consumption habits, and you’ll see why the metaverse is scary, especially if Meta becomes a monopoly in Azerbaijan. this gap.

4. Health and safety issues

It’s not just your privacy that’s at risk, but your health, safety, and general well-being. If successful, the Metaverse will be where most of us spend most of our time. And it’s mentally unhealthy for the same reasons as social media.

Only this time it’s even worse. The Metaverse is perhaps more dangerous than social media because it is exponentially more stimulating and therefore more addictive. After all, why bother with the real world if you can always be in an endlessly stimulating environment?

Metaverse is also bad for your physical health. Instead of looking at a desktop or mobile phone screen inches away from you, a VR headset is worn on your face, which means the screen inside is very close to your eyes, which can be harmful to your health in the long run.

We also don’t know how VR headsets will adapt to people with disabilities such as visual impairment and photosensitive epilepsy. After all, if the mission is to get everyone into the metaverse, extra care should be taken to make devices more accessible.

5. Increased risk of cyberbullying and harassment

Harassment and cyberbullying are already big problems on the internet, but their effects will be even more serious in the metaverse. Remember that the purpose of the metaverse is to make you feel more present, and while that’s great for positive experiences, negative experiences are much more uncomfortable.

Hate speech, sexual harassment, and death threats are much more traumatic in the metaverse because you can see and hear the person in front of you instead of just receiving messages from them on social media or messaging apps.

The Metaverse is as dangerous as it is exciting, and people are rightly concerned about its impact on the future of our society. For Gen Z and beyond, the metaverse can be as much a part of millennial life as social media is.

The only difference is that the metaverse offers all kinds of new challenges that our society has never faced before, and worryingly, the companies that support it rarely put people before profit.

You have the luxury of avoiding the metaverse for now, but eventually it will be inevitable. At its best, it can solve many of the problems we face today. But at worst, it can turn modern society into a veritable dystopia, while charging you a monthly subscription fee to live there.