by Elisa Garfagna
After Covid, the digital revolution we experienced radically changed our lives, especially those of young people. Growing up in a hyper-connected world, today’s youth are grappling with a neurotic relationship with technology, which has undergone an incredible acceleration. Social media has become the core of social interactions — a place to communicate, get informed, showcase oneself, and shop. E-commerce, too, saw an unprecedented boost in its selling processes thanks to the pandemic.
This new digital reality brings with it a range of challenges. Smartphone and social media addiction, cyberbullying, and the proliferation of fake news are just a few of the issues young people face today. Encouraging a conscious and responsible use of technology is essential for the younger generations, equipping them with tools to navigate a world that evolves hour by hour.
The metaverse is another hot topic. What impact will it have on our daily lives? How will it influence social relationships and the world of work? And what ethical implications will arise with the development of artificial intelligence? The future is set to become increasingly digital and advanced, aiming for a more “humanized” use of digital tools.
The metaverse is a vast shared virtual universe accessible through immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Here, people can interact, work, play, and create content in a fully connected environment with other users. Companies are already testing the metaverse for virtual meetings and distance learning, enabling semi-realistic work experiences. Virtual museums, exhibitions, or theater performances could become immersive and engaging, allowing collaboration with students from around the world.
Benefits and Risks
The protection of personal data becomes crucial in such immersive environments. Excessive immersion in the metaverse could lead to issues like social isolation, internet addiction, and detachment from reality. Access to these new technologies might also create new social inequalities, implicitly dividing users into “rich” and “poor” categories.
Moreover, regulations to govern this new digital landscape are still being developed, posing potential legal risks.
The rise of the metaverse is giving birth to new professions, such as virtual world designers who create immersive 3D environments, metaverse application developers who build tools to interact within this space, and virtual content creators who produce objects and interactive experiences. Marketing managers dedicated to managing communication strategies within this universe are also in high demand.
What Can We Make of the Metaverse in This Historical Moment? It could be a world of imagination and opportunity or a dangerous, uncontrollable black hole. As always, human intelligence must prevail, accompanied by a touch of common sense.