Facebook to Invest $50M Over 2 Years Into Responsible Development of the Metaverse

Facebook will invest $50 million over two years in the XR Programs and Research Fund, earmarked for programs and external research related to responsible development of the metaverse. The social network said it will collaborate with academic institutions, civil rights groups, governments, industry partners and nonprofits, and its initial partners in the effort include: Africa No Filter, Electric South and Imisi3D: supporting creators in Africa who have been pushing the boundaries of digital storytelling using immersive technology through “Amplifying African Voices.”The Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and the Law at the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore: studying other topics such as privacy and data use.Howard University: conducting research to examine the history of diversity in information technology and how that might inform access and economic opportunity in the metaverse.The Organization of American States: job training and skills development for students, creators and small business owners.Seoul National University and the University of Hong Kong: focusing on research into safety, ethics and responsible design.Women in Immersive Tech: supporting women and underrepresented groups driving Europe’s virtual, augmented and mixed reality sectors. Facebook said key areas of focus will include: Economic opportunity: how to give people more choice, encourage competition and maintain a thriving digital economy.Equity and inclusion: how to make sure these technologies are designed inclusively and in a way that’s accessible.Privacy: how to minimize the amount of data that’s used, build technology to enable privacy-protective data uses and give people transparency and control over their data.Safety and integrity: how to keep people safe online and give them tools to take action or get help if they see something they’re not comfortable with. Facebook Reality Labs vice president Andrew Bosworth—who will become the company’s chief technology officer next year—and Facebook vp of global affairs Nick Clegg said in a Newsroom post Monday, “The ‘metaverse’ is a set of virtual spaces where you can create and explore with other people who aren’t in the same physical space as you. You’ll be able to hang out with friends, work, play, learn, shop, create and more. It’s not necessarily about spending more time online—it’s about making the time you do spend online more meaningful.” They added, “The metaverse isn’t a single product one company can build alone. Just like the internet, the metaverse exists whether Facebook is there or not. And it won’t be built overnight. Many of these products will only be fully realized in the next 10 to 15 years. While that’s frustrating for those of us eager to dive right in, it gives us time to ask the difficult questions about how they should be built.”

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Facebook to Invest $50M Over 2 Years Into Responsible Development of the Metaverse

The social network will collaborate with academic institutions, civil rights groups, governments, industry partners, nonprofits

David Cohen

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David Cohen