The ‘metaverse’ offers us a vision of next-generation connectivity. Through immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality we may finally move beyond scrolling and tapping cold, glass rectangles, and begin experiencing the internet as embodied, expressive, 3D entities.
Unfortunately, early visions of this new frontier are being shaped by 90s dystopian fiction, and the fever-dreams of a select few Silicon Valley billionaires. If we are to envision a positive future together, this next step must be taken by a diverse community of people who can unmake the mythos of the metaverse, and design alternative futures that are inclusive and center positive human experience over stakeholder interests.
Verity McIntosh introduces us to the proto-metaverse spaces proliferating now. She shines a light on some of the ethical considerations that we can address together now as a design community, and offer some thoughts about how we might build our preferred futures by unmaking and reimagining the metaverse before anything gets set in (virtual) stone.
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Verity McIntosh
Verity McIntosh is a researcher and senior lecturer in Virtual and Extended Realities at the University of the West of England. She is also a local leader of IxDA Bristol, one of the newest chapters in the IxDA family. Her research focuses on user experience design, the ethics of presence, and the simulation of risk. She is known for her views and expertise in relation to immersive tech and the metaverse. McIntosh also runs a pioneering industry-led, practice-based masters program in Virtual and Extended Realities, offering students the opportunity to develop their craft as immersive storytellers, and critically engaging with the politics, business and culture of this emerging field. She is a prolific public speaker that has spoken about the intersection of creativity and technology around the world, including at SXSW Interactive, Bilbao Design Week and Edinburgh Science Festival.
