MetaNews rounds up another busy week for the metaverse, separating the signal from the noise.
This week we contemplate whether the metaverse will be an escape from the real world or just offer us more of the same.
The metaverse is comforting
A recent Ipsos study found that people who struggle with identity find the metaverse a safer place to be. While the metaverse may offer some crumbs of comfort to those struggling in the real world Ipsos called this development “potentially troubling.”
One part of the study shows that 71% of people feel more comfortable being their authentic selves in the metaverse than in the real world.
Ipsos concluded that for many “the metaverse could mean virtual human connection becomes their most meaningful human connection.”
Ultimately, the best reason to visit the metaverse may be because the real world makes some people feel so utterly broken.
The more things change
Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same. Even as some people are running to the metaverse to escape the real world, others are finding ways to recreate the old world in the new.
Sometimes however, that may not be a good thing. As we reported on Saturday there is mounting evidence that class structures are being replicated in the virtual domain.
According to Philip Rosedale of Second Life, “The accumulation of wealth in virtual economies is of great concern.”
Neal Stephenson’s metaverse
Neal Stephenson, who coined the term metaverse in his 1992 novel Snow Crash, believes that making the virtual landscape a reality may not be easy. Stephenson has gone on to say that his vision of the metaverse will outlast whatever Mark Zuckerberg manages to create.
SHIB unleashed in Texas
On Monday MetaNews covered the story of the Shiba Inu metaverse which will showcase between March 10-19 at the Southwest Film and TV festival (SXSW) in Texas.
Shiba Inu is a popular crypto dogcoin, but now has a market cap of over $6 billion. The memecoin, which began as a joke, is seeking to add utility with its metaverse play.
WiFi Body Tracking
A new application for WiFi may have been found – full-motion body tracking in the metaverse. This is according to Carnegie Mellon University researchers who state that, “common WiFi antennas [or 1D sensors] can be used as the sole source of active sensing to track fine human movements in a room.”
While the technology may have positive benefits for interacting with virtual worlds, the security implications aren’t too pleasant to consider.
Related technology news
In related technology news, MetaNews covered how Stable Diffusion is being sued by Getty Images for plagiarism; why Nick Cave is very, very upset with ChatGPT; and how China snapped up shared in Tencent and Alibaba.
This article is originally from MetaNews.
