Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, announced yesterday that the parent company will change its name to the Greek word "Meta" in order to better respond to all its activities, from social networks to virtual reality, but the names of the various services will remain the same.
Zuckerberg chose the Greek word "meta" to indicate that "there is still much to be done".
"We learned a lot, facing a lot of problems," he commented, judging that it was time "to build the next chapter."
The announcement came after Zuckerberg introduced the metaverse, the "meta-universe" that he says is the future of the Internet, well after computers and mobile phones, to which people will have access to interact, work or be entertained through technology (e.g. virtual or augmented reality glasses or helmets).
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg explains his “Metaverse” virtual world concept, which he says is about “connecting with people.” pic.twitter.com/24YZk5ag5J
— The Recount (@therecount) October 28, 2021
Critics of Facebook called the name change nothing but a distraction at a time when the tech giant is plagued by scandals and allegations of misinformation, the confidentiality of user data and respect for competition. The company "believes a new brand can help change the subject," said the "Real Facebook Supervisory Board," a non-governmental organisation, when rumours of the name change were still circulating.
However, Zuckerberg has been talking about metaverse for a few months now and has already announced multi-billion-dollar investments and the hiring of 10,000 workers in Europe to implement his plan.
