Somehow, in a cringe but relatable fashion, Zuckerberg wears a classic black tee, in his walk-in closet, with BBQ sauce as a book stopper, while announcing that his billion-dollar company, Facebook, is changing its name…to Meta, which means “beyond” in Greek.
Per Zuck, he wants the name change to “transition from people seeing us as primarily being a social media company to being a metaverse company.” The existing brand could not “possibly represent everything that we’re doing today, let alone in future.”
Though not specifically stated, we know the decision to rebrand emerges from the numerous accounts and allegations of privacy violations, conspiracy theories, political conflicts, and harmful on-platform content taking a toll on users’ mental health. Whistleblowers have come forward from all sides and the Facebook moderators have been under question and scrutiny for what they let slip through the cracks.
It’s no question as to why Zuckerberg wants a name change, but how that name change is going to help. Just like the transition from Google to Alphabet never caught on amongst the majority, the adaption of Meta from Facebook is going to be a slow burner, if it even ever comes to fruition. The fundamentals of Facebook are its features, birthed from the inside out, and difficult to move away from.
Zuckerberg wants to remove himself from the very platforms he’s come to build to preserve his legacy.
The rebrand to Meta is set to encompass the parent entity, while the social media platforms will remain the same… Instagram, WhatsApp, and yes, even Facebook. From these, they are wanting to break off into a 2nd segment that will focus on future platforms, including VR initiatives. The new Meta Twitter posted,
“The metaverse is the next evolution of social connection. It’s a collaborative project that will be created by people all over the world, and open to everyone. You’ll be able to socialize, learn, collaborate, and play in ways that go beyond what’s possible today.”
According to the press release, Facebook is set to trade under the new stock ticker MVRS on December 1, 2021.
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