World Economic Forum wants metaverse embedded with 'woke' ideologies
Globalist organization World Economic Forum (WEF) Monday outlined how the metaverse should be programmed around ideologies such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and “climate change” including banning “digital blackface”.
The metaverse, currently under construction by tech giants like Facebook, is an immersive virtual reality which mimics the real world in many ways but allows users to do things they normally could not. In the metaverse, people could immerse themselves through a digital avatar and interact with the avatars of other users in seemingly limitless ways, including carrying out transactions.
But in a report published Monday titled “Social Implications of the Metaverse,” the WEF expressed concern that users would be able to choose whatever avatars they wished, which would lead to racism.
“While a diverse range of customization options enables a larger number of people to display their most authentic selves in virtual or augmented realities, metaverse builders and participants should be sensitive to the potential impacts of users freely using avatars of a different race or culture to their own,” said the report.
“As cultural appropriation, identity tourism or digital blackface in the metaverse can perpetuate harmful stereotypes or misrepresentations, resources, education and awareness to address avatar misuse should be provided and moderation policies put in place.”
The WEF frets that metaverse programmers and creators won’t include enough women, people with disabilities, different skin colors or “neurodiverse individuals and those belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community” in the metaverse. This could lead to racist or sexist avatars and other experiences.
“For example, female avatars designed by male creators may influence the reinforcement of gender stereotypes, the objectification of women and uphold unequal power dynamics in societies,” notes the report.
Other ideologies the WEF wants embedded in the metaverse include “sustainability”. This involves ensuring that the climate is not harmed during the programming of the metaverse. It also involves building immersive experiences such as virtual field trips to teach children about “climate change,” which the WEF calls “climate education”.
The WEF is also establishing another initiative called “Defining and Building the Metaverse” which will decide how the metaverse is governed. This initiative will bring together “more than 60 leading companies from technology and other sectors alongside experts from governments, academia and civil society” to create the “governance and policy frameworks” that will rule the metaverse.
“This initiative and the Global Collaboration Village will help shape the foundations of the metaverse to truly create an equitable, interoperable and safe digital environment from the onset,” says the organization.
Meta estimates that the metaverse will be a $3 trillion “reboot” of the internet.
