IL GIORNO – METAVERSE A SURVEY AMONG STUDENTS– DOTT. DANIELE NAPPO

Will metaverse be the future of the Internet? Will the set of virtual spaces traversed by Avatars succeed in convincing users to experience a reality parallel to real life?

"A few months ago, the metaverse concept was launched by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, and soon after it was taken up by other industry giants. This is also important news for teenagers for whom virtual life has almost become an extension of real life. The metaverse is still in its infancy, but many companies are already looking to invest in this virtual universe to promote their products. The metaverse allows people to live a parallel life in the digital world with an avatar, that is, a figure chosen to represent their users in virtual communities and grouping places. U.S. investment bank Piper Sandler wanted to investigate young people's interest in this important innovation: to do so, it surveyed 7,100 American teenagers born between 1997 and 2012.

Thanks to wearable technological equipment, such as smart glasses (smartglasses), virtual reality helmets and visors, gloves and haptic suits, the metaverse gives people the opportunity to experience virtual knowledge that was previously inconceivable. But, at the moment, it does not seem to inspire the interest of the underclass: in fact, only 9 percent say they would buy a VR visor to access these virtual universes. From the survey, 26% of respondents currently in possession of a VR visor confess to occasionally using their device to visit these worlds. It is clear that this technology is still far from stimulating crowds, and especially kids, although some speculate that the integration of video games could change the interest scenario. Today a survey reveals that 25 percent of Italians know what the metaverse is, a figure that rises to 30 percent among men and falls to 21 percent among women, and the degree of schooling conditions the level of knowledge: 30 percent of those with a degree compared with 19 percent of those with basic schooling.

More than 50% of respondents consider the metaverse not only a virtual and digitized habitat, but a parallel reality capable of suggesting real life and in which they can perhaps carry out the same activities as in daily life; the common impression is that the metaverse may develop imbalances and inequalities of the digital world, so signs of distrust should not be underestimated. And the present and future impact on youth and students remains to be well understood."

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