On Oct 28 at the annual Connect Conference, Facebook announced their name will change to Meta. This change is designed to help the company move forward into a digital realm called “metaverse.” 

The platform merges virtual and augmented reality technology making this software an enhanced version of the real world. By changing the name and face of the company, they hope to accustom younger users by making the app so-called “trendy.”

When announcing the renovation, Mark Zuckerberg said, “Right now, our brand is so tightly linked to one product that it can’t possibly represent everything that we’re doing today, let alone in the future. Over time, I hope that we are seen as a metaverse company, and I want to anchor our work and identity on what we’re building toward.”

People have been spamming the internet with their reactions to this alteration. For the most part, these reviews have been humorous. Facebook users have not been afraid to cast tweets on Twitter about the update. 

One person even commented on the CEO’s choice of background and said:

But, it’s all fun and games until people start lashing out dark opinions. Some have tweeted and compared this rebranding to the change of when the CIA renamed ‘torture’ to ‘enhanced interrogation.’ This comparison references the CIA’s decision after the terrorist attack of 9/11 and how much controversy there is on Facebook.

Facebook has never been a stranger to drama. For example, in 2019, the company accidentally released information saying that they wanted to track Android users. 

One of Facebook’s investors, Roger McNamee, has announced that the intent of this change is to make the company look “dystopian.” McNamee told the BBC, “It’s a bad idea, and the fact we are all sitting and looking at this like it’s normal should be alarming everyone.” 

He is suspicious of the plan and doesn’t think it will end well in Zuckerberg’s hands. 

On the opposing side, Mr. Cox, a speaker for Meta, believes that this will be the next step for the internet as a whole, not just the company. He has told broadcasters that this will be a change of pace and not just the typical new update like a video call addition.