Why Facebook changed its name to Meta

Facebook that we once knew is now called meta. The same Facebook that got us all hooked to the world of posting pictures, liking and commenting on our loved ones' posts has been changed.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Thursday (Oct. 28) that the company's name is changing. Meta Platforms Inc. is the new name for what was previously known as Facebook Inc., the parent company behind the namesake app as well as Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and the virtual reality firm Oculus.

The move is a nod to the metaverse, a thrilling next-generation internet that highly depends on virtual reality technology. So rather than browsing or sending messages online, you could interact with virtual versions of real people, places, and stores, making you feel as if you were there in person.

What is the metaverse and how is it different?

The metaverse does not exist, at least not yet. The concept was popularised by Neal Stephenson's 1992 book Snow Crash, which depicted a persistent virtual reality world navigated by the lead character. Other science fiction books, movies, and television shows, such as The Matrix, Ready Player One, and Stranger Things, explore the concept of "mirror worlds," in which everything in the real world has a digital counterpart.

In the metaverse, you can go to school, work, play games, watch concerts, browse store shelves, and do a variety of other things without ever leaving your house. If the internet is two-dimensional (text and images on flat screens), consider the metaverse to be three-dimensional and multi-sensory (including touch).

There are presently some online spaces that are similar to the metaverse, such as the hand-drawn Topia and the virtual reality system AltspaceVR. Among other tremendously multiplayer games, Fortnite and Roblox are possibly the best prepared for the metaverse. In these worlds, people already attend live events, interact with their friends' avatars, buy virtual goods, and even shop at brand-name stores. None, however, resemble the parallel digital reality that Facebook envisions.

Why did Facebook change its name to Meta

It's vital to acknowledge that Facebook didn't simply alter its name or rebrand. It fundamentally changed the path of the company.

For years, people have fantasised about something akin to the metaverse. Consider all of the science fiction films and television shows that have used holograms and virtual reality to provide people with an escape over the years.

Because it will allow people to instantly transport themselves to another location or even time, this sort of technology has the potential to be the largest company of all time. It's a game changer.

Add to that the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic has increased the demand for this technology exponentially. New variants raise the possibility of new lockdowns and travel restrictions. Companies are reconsidering their plans to reintroduce employees to the workplace.

Bottom Line

All of this adds to the value of the metaverse's potential.

After all, why ride to the workplace when you can enter a room in your own apartment and be instantly connected to your colleagues?

Is it too risky to be present physically with high-risk family members? Not a problem. You will feel as if you are physically together within the metaverse.