Against the copy

The metaverse rethinks any social code established so far; the possibility of creating identities and building personalised worlds explores new ways of interaction and communication. However, after the social standstill caused by the pandemic, the development of this type of depersonalised digital experiences is beginning to be questioned.

Beyond the hype that this new environment represents for companies and users, there are many critical voices that warn about the possible risks that participating in these highly immersive worlds can have on the physical and mental health of people, but also on the welfare of the planet at a social and environmental level.

In addition to the lack of legislation, one of the greatest fears is the possibility that the metaverse will alter the order of priorities at a social level and that we will lose focus on what is truly important. That the virtual world will impose itself on the physical world and the conflicts generated there will gain prominence over the causes of the real world.

A context that has also alerted other brands and entities, which are betting on breaking away from this trend with strategies that put their value proposition at the center and experiences that seek authenticity outside these environments.

Everything seems idyllic in the metaverse, but it is clear that it will provoke a social change. It will be key to vindicate morality, ethics and social relations and to be clear about the scale of value of each of them in real life and the fictional world. Creating a virtual life to escape from reality is already possible, but how far are we willing to go?

"What the metaverse hides as a phantasmatic version of reality is that no one will want to enter it to duplicate their problems, their complexes and their sufferings." Alberto Olmos, writer and columnist in El Confidencial.