This post starts the series on tech and science which will last through the months of January and February, and it does it by looking at what is probably the most progressive and forward-looking technology nowadays: the metaverse.
The transition from 2D devices into augmented reality is probably the biggest challenge for technology in the years ahead; however, not only technology is facing a tough transition, as policymakers will also have to adapt to the change by ensuring up-to-date legislation on some cybersecurity key issues, starting from data protection.
Moreover, among other concerns for policy-makers when it comes to the metaverse, there is the one regarding inclusion of several kinds:
1) Economic inclusion
2) Age inclusion
3) Inclusion of people with health issues
Economic inclusion is crucial in the sense that right now the equipment needed to access the metaverse is still relatively unaffordable for certain parts of the population and, more importantly, for people living in certain parts of the world. Working on making technology and tech education affordable and accessible for everyone is definitely one of the biggest challenges ahead in the tech sector.
Another great issue is the inclusion of older people when it comes to technology, as the speed of tech developments does not often match with the speed of learning of humans: for this reason, we can often see a big divide between generations when it comes to tech knowledge. Here, again, investing in affordable and accessing education can definitely be one of the main solutions.
Lastly, the inclusion of people with health issues is crucial in every sector but in this case even more: with the transition to immersive technologies, physical peculiarities of each individual need to be taken into account to design a product that can be used by most. ScienceDaily, already in 2015 reported that around 95% of the world population had some type of health issues and the percentage can only have increased after a global pandemic. To design a product that works for the masses, the needs of the general population, including health needs, have to be taken very seriously.
The metaverse is estimated to be an 8 Trillion Dollar opportunity, and it has the potential to revolutionize everyday life. Tackling the challenges that such revolution poses with an inclusive approach is an imperative for our policy-makers to make this transition possible for everyone.
Love,
Elena
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