
The internet, when looking at it many years into the future, might not even have the same name. As it continues to develop and take on multiple different forms it opens itself up to new possibilities and many new adventures. As of right now the internet is defined as “a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols” (Google). In the future that will not do the power of the internet justice. As of right now the definition confines the meaning of internet. There are endless possibilities, and I am excited to see what the future holds.
The ability to go anywhere, do anything you want, whenever you want is something everyone would be interested in. Image being at home and then instantly being able to connect to, and immerse yourself into a fully digital world, in which you feel, hear, taste, see and smell as you would in the “real” world. All you would need to do is purchase and install a very small microchip. The microchip would come with special contacts for your eyes, which allow you to see within the didgaverse. This microchip would connect directly to your central nervous system, linking your body and senses to the “didgiverse”. After a connection is made, you would be able to customize how you look. You could become anything you wanted and even travel anywhere around the world in a matter of seconds. This has the possibility to improve the lives of countless people. A person who could not walk, can now walk. A person who could not talk, can now talk. A person who had any sort of disability, illness or deformation could rid themselves of it instantly. This “built in body” technology is not possible in today’s world due to our lack of knowledge on how to connect our inner selves. Research about this topic would cost tremendous amount of money and would most likely need test subjects. These test subjects would of course have to be human, which brings in a whole new moral issue into development. For now, this technology is all speculative, but in today’s world, the metaverse is similar to this idea of a digital community in which you can interact with avatars. It is far less sophisticated, but I am sure it will develop into something even more advanced.
The people who produced this invention would also use it. The producers might have a better understanding of how it all works, but everyone would use it the same way. In the early stages of production and circulation, only a select group of individuals would be able to purchase and use this new technology. Celebrities and the upper Echlin of people would be offered this unique opportunity. It would be expensive at first, say $1 million, but when all the kinks are worked out and it can be mass produced and available to the public for a cheaper price. Marketing this invention would be simple. After all the celebrities buy and test out the product, they would be asked to post about it on their social medias and spread it through word of mouth. In no time everyone would know about and want in on the fun.
At the same time, a world where the internet is this advanced is dangerous. These digital communities would bring a world full of problems along with it. When creating something so new and so innovative there is bound to be a problem or two that comes up. Since your body is physically and mentally connected, if you die in the didgaverse, you will die in real life. The same, but maybe even stricter laws that are applied on the outside would need to be enforced in the ‘Digiverse”. One of the main problems is how do you turn it off? What happens if the internet is running at all times of the day with no way to shut it off. Would there be a safe and effective way to remove the microchip if it was suddenly unwanted? There are countless questions that can be asked about such an innovative technology, but not all of them can be answered until its time comes.