Social media giant Facebook hasn't been content with its socialisation platform for a good while now. Outside of its namesake service, FB has delved into virtual reality, augmented reality, brain implants and more.
Last year, the tech conglomerate firmly established its next big product: The Metaverse. Renaming itself Meta in the process, the company is aiming to convert everyone to virtual mixed reality services. But how will they monetise this?
Facebook Augmented Reality adverts
Reported by Reuters, a Meta meeting last Thursday revealed plans to monetise the company's mixed reality hardware. Of course, just like everything Meta owns, the products will be supported with a large number of ads.
“Advertisers are also looking for detail on how the effectiveness of ads in the metaverse will be measured,” an executive told Reuters. “[They] will be asking ‘what did I get for my money?'”
Advertisements in virtual reality metaverse worlds will certainly be annoying. However, Meta’s plans to create a mixed reality platform with Project Cambria will help the company bring advertisements to the real world.
Meta has reportedly told advertising agencies to get to work on AR advertisements. With the company's hardware, these adverts can be mapped onto real world objects. For example, a building could show moving in real life, but those with a Meta headset will see adverts tailored to their profile.
Read More: Facebook’s Metaverse already has 300,000 unique users
What are the rules?
The plan to map virtual advertisements onto real world objects is one that forgoes all established rules is advertising. For example, Facebook could, theoretically, push an advert onto any surface in the world, even without permission from that surface’s owner.
Additionally, Facebook’s tracking will give them more access to user behaviour. With Project Cambria, Facebook will be able to monitor facial expressions and eye movement to match users with better adverts.
If the company does go ahead with advertisements on real life objects, then heavy regulations will have to put in place. After all, every country has its own advertising standards, and AR advertising may not even be permitted.