Tech News Weekly 194

Activision Blizzard employees staged a walkout on Wednesday in the ongoing outcry surrounding the lawsuit by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Facebook has plans to create the Metaverse. Oculus is issuing a voluntary recall of its facial interface due to skin irritation. Adolescents are experiencing more loneliness than ever before.

First, Sarah LeBoeuf of GameDaily.biz joins the show to talk about the ongoing Activision Blizzard lawsuit. LeBoeuf, who covered the Activision Blizzard employee walkout in person, shares her experience and provides an overview of events.

Then, Janko Roettgers of Protocol discusses Facebook's plans to be the company that creates the Metaverse. Roettgers discusses Facebook Horizons, how the Metaverse overlaps with VR and AR, and what a business model would look like for this virtual world.

Then, Mikah provides a PSA about Facebook's voluntary recall of the Oculus Quest 2's facial interface. Due to the potential for skin irritation, Facebook has paused sales of the Oculus Quest 2 in order to include silicone coverings in the box. Oculus Quest 2 owners can visit the Oculus site to request silicone coverings for their facial interfaces.

Finally, Jason shares a study from the Journal of Adolescence regarding an increase in worldwide adolescent loneliness and the perceived ties to the increase of smartphone use and pervasiveness.

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Links

• Activision Blizzard Employees Protest Sexist ‘Frat Boy’ Workplace Culture via Walkout
• Facebook Announces Metaverse Product Group Headed by Instagram VP Vishal Shah
• Zuckerberg to Investors: This Metaverse Thing Will Be Expensive
• Important Safety Notice: Voluntary Recall of Quest 2 Removable Foam Facial Interface
• Teens Around the World Are Lonelier Than a Decade Ago. Their Reason May Be Smart Phones
• Worldwide Increases in Adolescent Loneliness