Social Networking in the Metaverse

Affordances of VR-enabled Connection

Abstract

The rebranding of Facebook to Meta and Apple’s announcement of an AR/VR product in 2023 have sparked renewed interest in virtual worlds. These worlds are seen as the next phase in human interaction, extending beyond today’s social media apps to offer a more immersive experience. However, questions remain about the adoption of this technology and its resonance with users accustomed to existing social media forms. This paper draws on Nagy and Neff’s idea of “imagined affordances” to explore these questions, focusing on the intersection of technology and human agency. These affordances arise from the interaction between actual technological artifacts and user perceptions, attitudes, and expectations, de-emphasizing the designer’s intent and allowing for the exploration of unintended uses. This approach is crucial for investigating emerging technologies like the metaverse, which are likely to yield novel and unexpected practices.