Social media giant Facebook announced that it would invest $50 million on partnerships with several organizations to responsibly build the metaverse, a digital environment that people can access virtually and perform various functions within.

The company’s new XR Programs and Research Fund will facilitate these investments over the next two years to ensure those metaverse technologies are “built in a way that’s inclusive and empowering.” The company plans to work on four key areas, including data privacy and safety, to create a mechanism for the users to reach out to when they feel uncomfortable within the metaverse.

It will also invest in research to build more inclusive and accessible designs for all users and “encourage competition” in the upcoming industry.

Howard University in Washington DC is amongst the initial partners for Facebook’s new metaverse fund. Researchers from the university will look into the history of diversity in the information technology industry and devise methods to create opportunities with the metaverse.

Seoul National University and the University of Hong Kong will work towards safety, ethics, and responsible design.

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