The last couple of years saw the advent of technology. In an effort to bring the virtual and the real world much closer, the concept of metaverse was introduced. While this technology picked popularity in the beginning, it seems to be fading now. Governments and major firms were contemplating a development wing but some proponents and organizations were exiting the market.
Now, France was seen scouring the metaverse shores. France’s Directorate General for Enterprise issued a public consultation regarding “virtual spaces.” The government urged several firms, associations, researchers as well as citizens to answer relevant questions. Furthermore, each of the participants will be given a different set of questionnaires.
The agency described in the release how it plans to use the findings of the poll on “virtual immersive universes” to develop alternatives for the services provided by international fin-tech companies. Additionally, future metaverse strategy and policy choices made by the French government will be affected by the consultation. It should be noted that the survey will be concluded on May 2, 2023.
Is Metaverse-related development a necessity in France?
As mentioned earlier, the fervor around the metaverse has been losing steam. Over the last few months, firms like Meta, Microsoft, Tencent, and even Walt Disney have decided to scrap their metaverse objectives. Meta, for instance, lost an astounding $13.7 billion last year in the industry. Therefore, it is likely that French citizens may vote against the development of the metaverse.
The ongoing demonstrations in France over the retirement age may also be a contributing factor. Since President Emmanuel Macron proposed to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, there have been a variety of protests against him. The retirement age in France is now substantially lower than in the rest of Europe. According to Macron, there are more older citizens and, in comparison, fewer employees who can aid to the government pension. With this pressing matter at hand, French citizens are less likely to focus on the metaverse.