Search
Close this search box.

The Metaverse – What It Holds For Gen Next And What Challenges It Faces

(March 23, 2022)

Samsung recently launched its latest flagship smartphone simultaneously on metaverse and in the real world a few days back.

This was the first time that such an event was being held in a virtual format, but for all the hype, attendance was more for the novelty factor alone, as the live web cast of the event on Youtube gave a better experience. If the video grabs of the metaverse version were anything to go by, the graphics looked more like the video games of the 90s than that of a cutting edge new technology.

So, what is the reason behind all this interest in the metaverse with all the tech biggies ranging from Facebook, (which has even changed its name to Meta), to Microsoft, Apple, Amazon etc. rushing to be a part of this phenomenon?

It is obvious that organizations and investors can see business opportunity through the metaverse, which is why they are taking it so seriously and spending big money on developing the hardware, software as well as the infrastructure to get it going.

For example, Meta is developing a record-breaking supercomputer to power its metaverse, reaching quintillions of operations per second, that is thousands of petaflops in one second. To put it in context, the Param Pravega supercomputer commissioned recently at the IISc Bengaluru, has a capacity of 3.3 petaflops (1 petaflop equals a quadrillion or 1015 operations per second).

Other companies are racing to build chips, AR/VR mounts that can capture physical movements of not only the head but of arms and hands as well, cloud infrastructure and networks to handle the massive amounts of data that will need to be transferred, stored as well as processed.

As an aside, one marvels at the brilliance of Facebook’s move to rename itself Meta – with one stroke they have made sure that their name is a part of the next big thing in technology!

Already, deals in the millions of dollars are being made to purchase space on the various metaverses that exist as of now. And the reason for this is simple – the inhabitants of the various metaverses will in the most likelihood be individuals with sufficient purchasing power – those who are driving the consumption in the physical world as well. Not being present in the metaverse could have a very adverse effect on the bottom lines, if not immediately, definitely in the medium as well long term.

Which is probably why even bankers like J P Morgan, who foresee the metaverse becoming a USD 1 trillion yearly opportunity, have set up their presence in the Metajuku mall in a metaverse called Decentraland.

To be honest, the potential for a virtual world or worlds is enormous, for it would liberate us from the limitations that we live with.

As the world learnt during the Covid-19 pandemic, seeing rows of faces on a computer screen is a poor substitute for physical meetings or classes. In the metaverse, we would be able to interact with others almost as if we were physically meeting with them, for the ultimate objective would be to provide a world that was as close to reality as possible.

Our relationship with the world around us is primarily through our senses – sight, sound, smell, touch and taste, and for any virtual world to be immersive, all the senses need to be invoked and involved.

This brings us to the biggest challenge that the metaverse faces – allowing its inhabitants the ability to seamlessly enter and interact within it, in an as life-like and natural manner as possible. Till it achieves this, the metaverse will remain the domain of those comfortable with using the mouse and keyboard, or maybe voice commands, to move and communicate.

Current technology has given us the option to engage virtually through our eyes and ears through VR headsets and other similar devices. Locomotion, as well as movement of our limbs within virtual worlds is possible through sensors attached to our legs and hands, while actions can be carried out through mouse clicks or voice commands.

Our imagination is linear, based upon what we already know, so most of us would imagine that advances in technology would probably be in the lines of lighter headsets and sensors that could be easily put on or removed.

But we could be wrong.

In April 2021, Elon Musk’s company Neuralink released a video showing a macaque monkey, named Pager, playing Pong. In itself, this was no big deal because monkeys have earlier been taught various skills.

The mind blowing fact was that Pager was playing the game, and very well too, by thinking his moves. There was a chip embedded in his brain that read the signals being sent by the part of his brain that controlled hand movement, and transmitted them wirelessly to a sensor in the computer that then converted these signals to move the cursor on the screen.

To take this to the next logical step, theoretically at least, the reverse should be possible – sensory input like sight, sound, touch, taste and smell, received in the metaverse could be felt by us in the physical world through chips implanted in our brain. Once that is achieved, users could seamlessly flit between and enjoy the best of both worlds! An extreme version of this could be the world that was portrayed in the Matrix movies.

This then leads us to the effect that the metaverse will have upon our society. As with anything related to technology, it is usually the young who are the early adopters, so good or bad, it is they who will be experiencing first.

The nearest parallels that we have in current technology are social media and multiplayer games like PUBG etc., and if the effects of the metaverse are similar, then there is need for extreme caution that needs to be taken.

In their drive to monetize their massive investments, it is highly unlikely that the corporations running the metaverses will give proper importance to the checks and balances that need to be put in place before our youth are drawn into them.

As we have seen with popular social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, the highly sophisticated AI algorithms running in the background can turn what appears to be an open platform into an echo chamber, reinforcing the user’s beliefs – however distressing they may be.

Already, we have seen a dire warning issued by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in the UK that some apps in the virtual-reality metaverse are ‘dangerous by design’.

This warning was in response to an investigation by the BBC, where a researcher posing as a 13-year-old girl, witnessed grooming, sexual material, racist insults and a rape threat in an App called VRChat. The app was accessed on Facebook’s Meta Quest headset from an app store present there. The only requirement to access the app was a Facebook account.

The researcher, though she was posing as 13 year old, was allowed to enter virtual-reality rooms where not only was she shown age-inappropriate items and avataars simulating explicit acts, she was also subject to approaches by numerous adult men.

By its very nature, technology brings progress – both desirable as well as undesirable. And it requires not just the desire and ability, but also tremendous amounts of will power and enormous resources, to ensure that the undesirable does not overpower the desirable.

We are still unable to monitor the content on the publicly available content on the Internet, and it is assumed that a large amount of the content as well as traffic relates to pornography and prohibited trades.

Considering that we still struggle to ring-fence the Internet, it is essential that measures to ensure safety of users are envisaged and put in place before the metaverse reaches the proportions its creators hope it will.

It is necessary to not only curate content wherever possible, but also to put in place proper entry barriers, linked if necessary to official identity documents, if there is any hope of making the metaverse safe our children and youth to leverage the benefits it can bring.

The author is co-founder and Executive Trustee, Smile Foundation. The opinions expressed in the article are author’s own.

Source : https://www.indiatimes.com/explainers/news/the-metaverse-what-it-holds-for-gen-next-565047.html

Privacy Policy - Smile Foundation

Information Gathering

1. Smile Foundation collects information from the users in a number of ways, for example when the user:

  • Makes a donation
  • Signs up for a campaign
  • Signs up to stay updated

2. While forwarding a donation for Smile Foundation the well-wishers have to submit some personal information as it would help us ensuring genuine contributions:

  • Your name
  • Your email and mailing address
  • Your telephone number
  • Your payment processing details
  • Any other data as required

3. Smile Foundation does not collect or record the user’s personal information unless he/she chooses to provide it.

Use of Personal Information

1. General browsing of Smile Foundation website is anonymous and it does not register the user’spersonal information except the time, date and place of visits and the name of internet service provider. This data is used only for statistics and diagnosis.

2. By signing up for various services offered by Smile Foundation, the user explicitly authorizes us to collect information based on the user’s usage. The information is used to help provide a better experience to the user and is used as per the user’s specified instructions.

3. Smile Foundation keeps the user information strictly confidential and this information is secured safely. All relevant information collected through Smile Foundation website is handled and used by internal and/or authorized officials only. It is nevershared with any external agencies or third party individuals.

4. Smile Foundation uses the information givento it in the following ways:

  • To keep an accurate record of all the donations received
  • To update users about its happenings and developments through bulletins and newsletters, with an option of not to subscribe for the same
  • To make sure the user is receiving the most appropriate and relevant information
  • To find out more about the people who are visiting the Smile Foundationwebsite, donating, or joining its campaigns

5. Usually, Smile Foundation does not store user data. In case of specific sign-ups, the data is stored as per user request. The user can opt to delete all the information he/she has provided by simply requesting such by mail. All information, without exception, will be deleted in two working days.

Privacy of e-mail lists

Individuals who join Smile Foundation’s mailing lists via its website or through its campaigning engagements are added to its email database. Smile Foundation does not sell, rent, loan, trade, or lease the addresses on our lists to anyone.

Cookie Policy

1. Cookies are pieces of electronic information which will be sent by Smile Foundation when a user visitsthe website. These will be placed in the hard disk of the user’s computer and enable Smile Foundation to recognise the user when he/she visits the website again.

2. The user can configure his/her browser so that it responds to cookies the way he/she deems fit. For example, you make want to accept all cookies, reject them all or get notified when a cookie is sent. The users may check their browser’s settings to modify cookie behaviour as per individual behaviour.

3. If a user disables the use of cookies on the web browser, or removes or rejects specific cookies from Smile Foundation’swebsite or linked sites then he/she may not be able to use the website as it is intended.

Payment Gateway

1. SmileFoundation uses well-recognised and proven technology for payments. Payment information is transferred by the use of an SSL connection which offers the highest degree of security that the donor’s browser is able to support.

2. Several layers of built-in security, including an advanced firewall system, encryption of credit card numbers, and use of passwords, protect the collected information.

External Web Services

1. Smile Foundation uses a number of external web services on its site to display content within its web pages. For example, to display video it uses YouTube. As with the social media buttons, Smile Foundation cannot prevent these sites, or external domains, from collecting information on the user’s consumption of the content embedded on its site.

2. The Smile Foundation website contains links to other websites for the benefit of its visitors. This Privacy Policy does not apply to such other websites.

3. Smile Foundation is not expressly or impliedly responsible for, or liable to any loss or damage caused to a user by the collection, use and retention of Personal Information by such website in any manner whatsoever. It is important that the users review the privacy policies of all websites they visit before disclosing any information to such websites.

Changes to Privacy Policy

1. As and when the need arises, Smile Foundation may alter its privacy policy in accordance with the latest technology and trends. It will provide you with timely notice of these changes. The users may reach out to Smile Foundation if they have any queries about any changes made to its practices.

2. If you have any questions at all about Smile Foundation’s privacy policy, please write to us at: [email protected]

Refund and Cancellation Policy

Welcome to this web-site of SMILE FOUNDATION. We make public our policy on refund and cancellation of donations received for the social cause on payment gateway as under:-

  • No refund/cancellation for the donated amount by any donor will not be entertained, the online donations through the online payment gateway.
  • No cash or refund of money will be allowed.
  • If any in-kind support received by the donor from any where the material will be reached to the poorest of the poorer communities.
  • Once received the donation for a cause will not be refunded to the donor. No cancellation to be made. The donation will be used for the community development, children education or women’s empowerment.
Terms and Conditions

Use of this site is provided by SMILE FOUNDATION subject to the following Terms and Conditions:

SMILE FOUNDATION reserves the rights to change these terms and conditions at any time by posting changes online. Your continued use of this site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of this agreement as modified. You agree to use this site only for lawful purposes, and in a manner which does not infringe the rights, or restrict, or inhibit the use and enjoyment of the site by any third party.

This site and the information, names, images, pictures, logos regarding or relating to SMILE FOUNDATION are provided “as is” without any representation or endorsement made and without warranty of any kind whether express or implied. In no event will SMILE FOUNDATION be liable for any damages including, without limitation, indirect or consequential damages, or any damages whatsoever arising from the use or in connection with such use or loss of use of the site, whether in contract or in negligence.

SMILE FOUNDATION does not warrant that the functions contained in the material contained in this site will be uninterrupted or error free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site or the server that makes it available are free of viruses or bugs or represents the full functionality, accuracy and reliability of the materials.

Copyright restrictions:

Commercial use or publication of all or any item displayed is strictly prohibited without prior authorization from SMILE FOUNDATION. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring any license by SMILE FOUNDATION to use any item displayed.

Documents may be copied for personal use only on the condition that copyright and source indications are also copied, no modifications are made and the document is copied entirely. However, some documents and photos have been published on this site with the permission of the relevant copyright owners (who are not SMILE FOUNDATION). All rights are reserved on these documents and permission to copy them must be requested from the copyright owners (the sources are indicated within these documents/photographs).

SMILE FOUNDATION takes no responsibility for the content of external Internet sites. Other websites that we link to are owned and operated by third parties and SMILE FOUNDATION has no control over them. The fact that we include links to other websites does not mean that SMILE FOUNDATION approves of or endorses any other third party website or the content of that website. We accept no liability for any statements, information, products or services that are published on or are accessible through any websites owned or operated by third parties.

Any communication or material that you transmit to, or post on, any public area of the site including any data, questions, comments, suggestions, or the like, is, and will be treated as, non-confidential and nonproprietary information. If there is any conflict between these terms and conditions and rules and/or specific terms of use appearing on this site relating to specific material then the latter shall prevail.

These terms and conditions shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of India.

If these terms and conditions are not accepted in full, the use of this site must be terminated immediately. SMILE FOUNDATION for Social Welfare Service is a registered at

161 B/4, 3rd Floor, Gulmohar House
Yusuf Sarai Community Centre
New Delhi-110049
Phone : +91-11-43123700

Supplementing & In Alignment with Government Initiatives

donation for child education in india

EDUCATION

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
National Education Policy
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao
Digital India

donation for child education

lIVELIHOOD

Skill India
Enhancing Formal Skilling



donation for health care

HEALTH

National Rural Health Mission
Universal Health Coverage
National Digital Health Mission
Promotion of Govt. Health Schemes

livelihood skills training programs

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Anaemia Mukt Bharat
Poshan Abhiyan
Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan
Anganwadi Strengthening