Last week Facebook announced that it is planning to recruit up to 10,000 workers in Europe. This recruitment drive will occur over a period of five years and would help combine virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into a single online realm called the metaverse. The project will be set up in the European Union to reiterate Facebook’s “vote of confidence” in the bloc’s tech industry as well as the talents of its workers.
Facebook said that several companies would be a part of the realm. It said that a key feature of the metaverse would be its openness and its interoperability. Facebook is not the only stake holder in this online concept. In 2003, Linden Labs had launched Second Life. Popular gaming platforms including Roblox and Epic Games are already into offering immersive experiences.
Facebook has chosen Europe ostensibly for its “large consumer market, its “first class universities” and its “top-quality talents.” However, critics of the large social media company believe that the announcement has come at a time when the company wants to shift focus from the innumerable antitrust and security problems it is facing.
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Facebook announced that it would spend $50 million in a bid to build a responsible metaverse. The funds will be utilized through its XR Program and its Research Fund, over a period of two years.
Facebook is under scrutiny and investigations on both sides of the pond. The U.S., the U.K., and the EU are looking into its practices.
Whistle blowers in the U.K. and in the U.S. have revealed startling and shocking business practices that could increase the troubles of the social media company.
Recent research also showed that the company is looking to find ways to get and keep young crowds on Instagram as it faces increased competition from several new and existing social media platforms. It is also looking to step into the VR and AR space before other big tech giants join the virtual race.
