Quest Pro VR headset raises privacy concerns for Meta’s future in metaverse

Published at: Oct. 17, 2022

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced its latest virtual reality (VR) headset at the Meta Connect 2022 event on Oct. 11. The company introduced new features to enhance digital avatars, which raised privacy concerns regarding data collection. 

The Quest Pro is the latest piece of VR technology released by Meta as it continues its push into the metaverse. It utilizes five cameras inside the headset, which are positioned to watch and track a person’s facial expressions and eye movements. In addition, it has five external cameras, which will be employed in the future to track other bodily movements to mimic real-world motions.

Sneak peek of the future today at Meta Connect :✅ Our first mixed reality device @MetaQuestVR Pro ✅ The start of a new way to work in the metaverse✅ Cutting-edge @RealityLabs research to build technology that connects peopleRead more https://t.co/Ryf01kVM4c pic.twitter.com/2c1i7AAm7U

— Meta (@Meta) October 11, 2022

These upgrades integrated into the Quest Pro are in an effort to boost digital avatar quality in the metaverse. According to Meta, they will accurately and uniquely reflect a user’s emotions and expressions in real time.

This comes after major internet backfire (and memes) from a photo posted by Mark Zuckerberg over the summer of his less-than-realistic metaverse avatar.

Identity in the metaverse is a prominent topic of discussion in the space as designers and developers try to create realistic experiences in the digital world.

Industry experts assume that despite the new headset’s default off setting for facial tracking, it won’t last long. Facebook has long struggled with its usage and collection of biometric data relating to privacy ethics. Despite the fact that these companies claim they do not sell these personal pieces of information, many reports saying otherwise have since surfaced.

Related: The data economy is a dystopian nightmare

Last November, Facebook announced it would delete data extraction from facial recognition of over 1 billion people after being faced with government investigations, class action lawsuits and regulatory concerns.

In April, whistleblower Frances Haugen spoke out in an interview with concerns as to how Meta will handle privacy and sensitive data in the metaverse. Haugen said without increased transparency and accountability, it will “repeat all the harms you currently see on Facebook."

She continued to say that at the end of the day, there will always be a conflict between what these companies present to the public and what they will do to make money.

“At the end of the day, their business model revolves on taking your data and monetizing it."

On Twitter, users have mixed reactions to the VR set, with some gawking at the price yet praising the technology, while others remain skeptical about their privacy. One user said VR gaming is an “amazing” experience but wants guaranteed privacy rights:

It’s amazing playing Java Minecraft in VR. I disagree with you on this one Doc. The bigger issue is who controls the Metaverse, we don’t want Meta without at least guaranteed privacy restrictions once eye tracking becomes standard.

— LightningAussie⚡️#SnifferSupremacy (@LightningAussie) October 16, 2022

Although decentralized technologies such as nonfungible tokens (NFTs), blockchain and cryptocurrencies are becoming a mainstay of metaverse development, this might not be enough when big tech is involved.

When big tech companies like Meta go full speed into the metaverse, centralization starts to creep back in. Vitalik Buterin is quoted saying that Facebook’s metaverse will ‘misfire,’ because it’s too early to know what people want.

Nonetheless, Meta continues to push forward. Aside from the Quest Pro announcement, it also announced a partnership with Microsoft to bring Office 365 products to digital reality. 

Tags
Adoption
Technology
Privacy
Metaverse
Virtual Reality
Facebook
Meta
Related Posts
Metaverse is booming, bringing revolution to real estate
Mark Zuckerberg might claim the Metaverse is the future — but in the eyes of others, the future has already begun. Science fiction author Neal Stephenson coined the term “Metaverse” back in his 1994 novel, Snow Crash. Within the pages, the main character, Hiro Protagonist, navigates through the virtual world. Since 2003, millions have also worked, played and socialized in the Metaverse within the online Second Life world. While the game, with a heyday in the first decade of the 2000s and featuring some blocky graphics is a far cry from the modern Metaverse vision laid out by companies like …
Adoption / Feb. 13, 2022
There is room for the Metaverse in 2022, but the virtual space is far from perfect
It is hard to resist the vision spun to us by Meta (formerly Facebook) and other virtual world platforms. A digital utopia that can transform lives in multiple ways — whether how we socialize, work or even stay healthy — is a hard one to refuse. This is especially true when considering that these platforms are being described as the biggest technological disruption to human life and a multi-trillion dollar opportunity for businesses. However, there is skepticism from some that this is all too good to be true — at least for now. The technological architecture that would allow this …
Adoption / April 9, 2022
Metaverse graphics aim for community and accessibility — Not realism
Some may argue that the Metaverse has been around for years, as demonstrated by early gaming platforms, yet virtual ecosystems are now being embraced by almost every industry. A recent report from consulting firm McKinsey & Company believes that the Metaverse has the potential to generate at least $5 billion in value by 2030. McKinsey also found that investments exceeding $120 billion have been put toward Metaverse platforms this year, indicating that major growth is underway. While notable, there is still the perception that most metaverse platforms are lacking when it comes to graphic quality. For example, Mark Zuckerberg was …
Adoption / Sept. 22, 2022
FTX CEO dissects Mark Zuckerberg's intent to pump $10B/year into Meta
Facebook’s rebranding into Meta was Mark Zukerberg’s latest attempt to retain dominance in the social media world of Web3, specifically, the Metaverse. On the occasion of Meta completing one year on the rebrand, Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the CEO of the crypto exchange FTX, shared his thoughts on the rebranding and what it means for the future of Meta. Zuckerberg’s $100 billion Metaverse experiment first raised eyebrows when the CEO released the avatar for Meta’s Horizon Worlds VR platform. Subsequent releases of the Zuckerberg avatar fell prey to internet memes, although each new iteration seemed visually better than its predecessor. According …
Adoption / Oct. 30, 2022
Facebook became Meta one year ago: Here's what it’s achieved
It’s been just over a year since social media giant Facebook rebranded as Meta at the Facebook Connect conference on Oct. 28, 2021. The name change reflected the company’s growing ambitions to transcend past social media and into the world of Web3, crypto, NFTs, and the Metaverse — virtual worlds where consumers are likely to spend more of their time for both work and play. The company has been busy. In December 2021, Meta debuted its Horizon Worlds virtual reality social networking project, while it also opened up advertising for more crypto ads on Facebook. In April 2022, reports emerged …
Adoption / Oct. 31, 2022