ETHICS AND POWER IN THE METAVERSE: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF META’S INSTITUTIONAL DISCOURSE

Abstract

Introduction: The emergence of the metaverse in 2021 ushered in a new digital era that poses profound ethical and social dilemmas today. This research examines the socio-political implications of Meta’s project, questioning how its institutional narrative legitimizes new forms of control. Methodology: A qualitative approach is employed through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of Meta’s foundational video (accessed in 2025), examining linguistic legitimation strategies through the categories proposed by Fairclough, in convergence with the corporate legitimation model of Patala et al. (2019). Results: The analysis identifies four rhetorical strategies that articulate the company’s narrative: 1) inclusion strategies; 2) construction metaphors; 3) visionary prospective; and 4) institutional shield. Discussion: The results suggest that Meta’s discourse operates as a mechanism of ideological legitimization that tends to render power asymmetries invisible. Through synthetic personalization, the narrative projects an appearance of horizontal community and positions the metaverse as a normative technological development. Conclusions: The study concludes that Meta’s narrative favours the consolidation of its hegemony in the virtual environment. The findings indicate that the discourse frames the private management of the human experience within frameworks of collective benefit, contributing to the validation of the dynamics of surveillance capitalism.