Metaverse in Iran

Abstract

This research examines the Iranian digital community's engagement with the Metaverse, analyzing 14,724 tweets (expanding to 48,620 with retweets) from 23,571 unique users. Interest in the Metaverse among Iranians surged in the seven months following Facebook's rebranding but has since waned. A significant link between digital currency discussions and Metaverse topics was observed. Economic activists in the cryptocurrency market, forming the primary content creators, generally portray the Metaverse positively, focusing on earning opportunities. Another active group includes technology enthusiasts who share the latest Metaverse developments. Moreover, some users integrate Iran's socio-political context into their discussions, often contrasting Iran's technological stance with global giants like Facebook and addressing internet censorship. A distinct perspective comes from users wary of potential colonialist uses of technologies like the Metaverse, expressing apprehension about human subjugation. This sentiment forms the basis of most negative views on the Metaverse's development within the Iranian digital sphere.