Das Metaverse aus technischer, soziologischer und ökologischer Sicht: Chancen und Herausforderungen im Kontext der Medienbildung

Abstract

In our paper, we examine the Metaverse from three different perspectives: society, sustainability, and technology. The societal section discusses the possible effects of the Metaverse on society, such as changes in the workplace and the emergence of new social structures. The technical section focuses on the technical foundations of the Metaverse, with a focus on blockchain and the role of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The sustainability section addresses environmental implications, monetization, and potential business models. The use of blockchain and NFTs has driven the discussion around the Metaverse, with two types of approaches being distinguished: decentralized and community-driven versus centralized commercial applications. We highlight the potential benefits, challenges and perils of the Metaverse, we emphasize the need for a comprehensive understanding of the various perspectives and components to ensure its ethical use. We conclude by highlighting the importance for education institutions, the Metaverse industry, civil society, and science to work together to develop such an understanding, with public discussions and participation processes promoted to intensify the societal dialogue around the Metaverse.