Earlier this year, research from Gartner predicted that 25% of people – that’s 1 in 4 – will spend at least an hour a day in the Metaverse by 2026. Recently, I saw a stat that claimed that a big chunk of the population believe that number could be as high as 4 hours a day. There’s no denying that being able to gather in a virtual world can offer some really cool benefits – taking hybrid work to a whole new level, for example – but with all the buzz around the Metaverse these days, I wanted to take a moment to share some thoughts around the darker side of a virtual world.

What is the Metaverse?

You can think of the Metaverse like a virtual world, where you use Virtual Reality to interact with things in a digital environment, as opposed to real life. Imagine being able to attend a concert, go on a date, or even buy land – all without ever having to leave the comfort of your home office.

Sounds interesting, right? Right. But there’s a dark side to this whole virtual world thing.

Effect on Mental Health

An internal whistblower at Meta flagged the fact that Metaverse was going to be addictive – no surprise, considering you can be whatever you want to be within. This addictive nature is similar to the way social media and video games are designed: to hook you and keep you coming back for more.

If you ask me, I think this addiction is only going to make existing mental illnesses people are battling worse. Things like anxiety, depression, and eating disorders will be amplified by the contrast between someone’s virtual self, where they’re “perfect,” and reality, where they’re not. A good chunk of folks in a survey claimed that they would make an avatar that looks nothing like themselves – why do that, if you were completely happy with yourself in real life?

I want this thing to be cool and positive for humanity – I just worry that it will instead remind us of everything that we’re unhappy with in real life, leading to more and more time spent in the Metaverse.

Taking Online Harassment to the Next Level

It’s been written about a ton already, but early testers of the Metaverse have reported, with alarming frequency, being sexually harassed while inside the Metaverse.

Now, it’s already inappropriate enough when somebody slides into your DMs with thirsty comments… but when they grope your avatar? Completely unacceptable, and also a trigger for anybody who has experience sexual harassment in real life.

I know that Meta has stated that they’re working on this, and who knows how that will play out – maybe you’ll be able to evoke a 5-foot personal bubble in case of emergency or something. Regardless, where there’s anonymity, there are trolls and creepers, which can make the Metaverse a sketchy place to be.

Data Privacy Issues

The media has been lit up recently with tech companies being hacked, with the hackers stealing all manner of personal data, from emails, to passwords and much, much worse. With all of the additional data that cybercriminals could potentially access in the Metaverse, it’s no wonder than over half of American adults cited major concerns about data privacy within the platform.

Given Meta also filed for patent approvals for tech that would allow for realistic eye and body movements, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if they tracked body language for the purpose of informing marketing and sales.

All of this feels very Black Mirror (disturbing, in other words) to me, and is more than enough to make me want to question how – or if – I get involved in the Metaverse.

Wrapping it Up

While Gartner may predict that 1 in 4 will use the Metaverse for an hour a day by 2026, I will not be among them. I would much rather spend my time enjoying real life, and working on improving the things I don’t enjoy, than just escaping into a virtual world to drown my sorrows.

Like I said, I’m sure there will be cool applications of the technology, especially as it relates to the world of work (being able to stop saying “I think there’s a lag” in meetings would almost be worth the price of admission alone). But given all of the other concerns I have about the platform, especially the ones surrounding mental health, I can’t say that I ever intend to become a regular user of the Metaverse.

How about you, what are your thoughts on the Metaverse? Do you agree, or am I way off-base?