Pixels and Policy

Is the Metaverse Falling Victim to Large Platform Monopolies?

There's no denying it - despite a worldwide consumer recession and spiking unemployment, virtual worlds are still growing with impressive speed.

A report by the Virtual Goods Summit shows that purchases of virtual clothing, weapons, and accessories will top $1 billion for the first time, and will nearly double to $1.6 billion by 2010.

There's only one thing missing: competition..

Thinking Virtually: Helping Companies Succeed in Marketing to the Metaverse

 

From Audi digitally marketing their new electric car to a slew of virtual reality themed Hollywood blockbusters, focusing on virtual worlds as a potential revenue source is all the rage. But as companies have repeatedly shown by high-publicity failures, marketing in the virtual world is a tricky proposition.

Pixels and Policy looks at how to effectively market products to eager eyes in the Metaverse.

Virtual Worlds Enlist as Military Operations Simulators

A few weeks ago, Pixels and Policy took a look at how virtual worlds might be helping the U.S. Army look for promising new recruits.

Today we take a look at the policy applications of a defense-themed virtual program.

The University of Maryland's Institute for Advanced Computer Studies has interesting ideas on the future uses of virtual worlds in combat. Find out just what the military has in store for the Metaverse.

Virtual Economies Remain Badly Flawed Research Tools

There's been a lot of work done on virtual economics over the past few years, from Indiana University studies to the Virtual Economy Research Network.

These researchers all use virtual economies as a test-bed for real-world economic policies, as well as testing grounds for real-time experiments on price, economic growth, and wages.

They had best be cautious. As Pixels and Policy reports, virtual economies are far from the hailed research tools some virtual world cheerleaders think.

Making the Case for Digitally-Accessible Biometric ID Cards

There's quite a bit of insecurity in the United States about the prospect of biometric identification cards, an issue that finds its roots in the illegal immigration debates between 2004 and 2006. For civil libertarians, the concept of a card containing your fingerprint, medical data, residence information and - potentially - rings an Orwellian bell. Pro-immigrant activist groups feared the card could be used to discriminate against granting new work visas.

Now Congress is again pursuing the issue of a "smart" national ID, pushing the Obama Administration to consider the use of biometric identification as a simpler means for employer verification of residency and legal working status. Organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union are dusting off their talking points in preparation for the fight. With a decidedly left-leaning Congress and White House, the issue seems dead in the water.

But ignoring the possibilities of a digital biometric ID gives the touchy issue short shrift, for a national biometric ID card need not be an Orwellian intrusion into the private lives of Americans, nor does it need to be a major identity theft crisis waiting to happen. In fact, contrary to the arguments of both hard-line conservatives and privacy advocates, national biometric ID's could potentially turn the United States into a better, more efficient place to live. Let's find out why.