This is a shortened version of Essay by Nick Clegg published on Medium.

Many rightly ask: what is the metaverse And why should I care? And even if I can be convinced that it’s worth getting excited about, how can I trust that these new technologies will be built and governed responsibly?

The metaverse is not a single product, like the Meta apps (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp) are. Neither is it an operating system like Microsoft’s Windows, nor hardware like Apple’s iPhone. Like the Internet today, the metaverse will be a constellation of technologies, platforms, and products. It will not be built, operated or governed by any company or institution. It will require a variety of businesses large and small, civil society, the public sector, and millions of…