Carter, M. (2020, September 18). Facebook’s virtual reality push is about data, not gaming. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/facebooks-virtual-reality-push-is-about-data-not-gaming-145730
Facebook’s update of its virtual reality (VR) headset, along with the launch of the Infinite Office VR workplace, are signs of the company’s investment into virtual reality. VR headsets used to be primarily for gaming, but Facebook wants to use them to create a new type of social media. These VR headsets collects tons of data about the user, tracking “body movements 90 times per second,” which can be used to identify that person, like a finger print. Outward-facing cameras also track and map the user’s surroundings, and while images currently are not stored by Facebook, they haven’t eliminated that option for the future. Facebook’s collection of VR user data raises ethical questions around surveillance and privacy, but it will be hard to fully understand the implications until the technology is more developed and widely used.
Since the writing of this article, Facebook, now Meta, has also announced its own virtual reality platform. As social media evolves, communicators need to be aware, not only of the new platforms available for their use, but also of the potential risks and implications of using these new technologies.
Learning Outcome 2: Demonstrate the ability to assess complex organizational environments and achieve communication goals.
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