The metaverse may get a lot less glitchy now that Facebook has decided to do so.
According to Business Insider, Facebook has been granted a number of virtual reality patents in recent months, including one that would track a user's entire body in the metaverse, even though experts worry that the company hasn't bothered to integrate privacy protocols.
As with all patents, these filings are not indicative of what Facebook will actually build out and more about directions the company is exploring on a research and development level.
Even the most dyed-in-the-wool metaverse stan knows to temper expectations given how disappointing the reality of this new virtual world has been thus far. Some of the patents could result in gloves that mimic touch, sound that comes from the sound of objects, and the ability to feel togetherness with friends and loved ones who are far away.
Insider reports that some of the other aspects of the patents are less awesome, such as a lot of built-in advertising, but little about privacy or what will become of the inordinate amount of data that will be collected.
Georgetown Professor Jeanine Turner told Insider that they don't think these companies have data access. It is mind blowing what they will have.
Owen Vaughan, the director of research at the data security firm nChain, said that Facebook's metaverse "opens up a lot more risk in terms of privacy and security."
He told the website that it may be difficult for the tech giant to integrate privacy into its virtual reality tech while it is still in development.
Security and privacy are not included in the patents.
There is a potential for privacy abuse in the metaverse. Three others are terrifying and not surprising.
Facebook has a vision for a hyper realistic metaverse that includes body pose tracking,pupil steering, and a magnetic sensor system worn around the torso.
Experts say people will live their entire lives in the metaverse.
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