Technology has been at the forefront of this election cycle from the beginning. Generative AI has raised concerns about misinformation and eye-rolling propaganda. Even the campaigns themselves adopted novel spaces, such as the Harris-Walz issue. map in fortnite.
The metaverse may not be quite ready for the campaign cycle, but perhaps the political system should be. Despite all the chaos and trolling in the room on election night, what soon becomes clear is that the vibe in virtual reality reflects the outside world.
First, virtual reality voting rooms are overwhelmingly male, which won’t be surprising to anyone accustomed to the political manosphere in the United States. Most people I encounter in both virtual realms seem to favor Trump, and that power imbalance only grows throughout the night as the red wave deepens and the former president’s re-election seems increasingly likely.
My colleague Kelly talks to a person dressed in black Iron Man-style armor who says he’s from Michigan. Ersatz Iron Man calls the state for Trump much earlier than was officially reported. They say they know many people who support Trump and for whom Elon Musk’s endorsement and his posts on X were a major factor in helping Trump win more broadly.
Many moments like this happen during the night. At first, the real-world results clash with the absurdity of Horizon World’s rooms. People hiding inside their brightly colored avatars, shouting over each other, saying the most offensive things to possibly provoke a reaction. But then the room begins to split, a larger group on Trump’s side, loud and excited. Then a smaller group on Harris’ side, more sombre and reflective. Some people gather outside, talking quietly and calculating how many electoral votes are left.
“We will never have a female president,” I hear a child shout during my visit to MetDonaldsHorizon Worlds mockup of the fast food chain with golden arches. “We have to keep our American traditions!”
“Let’s kill all the old white Americans out there,” says someone wearing an avatar that looks like a sneaky dog. toy story. Then to someone else: “I guess if Trump wins, you won’t have to worry so much about your school taking such a big hit.”
Later I watch someone voraciously defend Trump’s policies while a different person in a gentleman avatar walks up behind him and starts miming rubbing his nipples while moaning loudly on top of him. By the end of the night, it starts to seem like the virtual world is just as strange as the real one.
Additional reports by CABLING contributor Kelly Bourdet.