The Linux Foundation wants to set up its own open source metaverse

The Linux Foundation has announced plans to build an open-source metaverse which it says could be “as impactful as the World Wide Web”, so long as companies, developers, and founders come together to meet shared goals.

The aptly named Open Metaverse Foundation (opens in new tab) (OMF) has been divided into a series of groups, that it calls Foundational Interest Groups, designed to focus on different topics. They include transactions, virtual worlds and simulations, networking, security and privacy, and legal and policy, among others.

A large number of organizations and open-source communities have come together to form the foundation, including ChainHub Foundation, OpenSDV, and Veriken, each bringing its own wealth of knowledge.

“We’re still in the early days of the vision for an open Metaverse, and we recognize that many open source communities and foundations are working on vital pieces of this iterative puzzle,” OMF executive director Royal O’Brien said in an announcement (opens in new tab).

As preparation gets underway for the groundwork of an open-source metaverse, it’s clear that collaboration and cooperation is what we need to ensure security and stability in an online world that, to this day, remains largely uncharted. O’Brien continues in a blog post (opens in new tab):

“Through the Foundation, we’ll work together to discuss, pinpoint and create the building blocks to transform the emerging concept of the Metaverse into a reality—spanning digital assets, simulations, transactions, artificial intelligence, networking, security, privacy, and legal considerations.”

Moreover, the Linux Foundation is designed to be a neutral environment for developers to share code and collaborate on innovative ideas, and has an extensive catalog of projects designed to harmonize technology, including the recently announced OpenWallet Foundation designed to challenge the (lack of) interoperability between digital wallets.