Facebook正式宣布更名为Meta 将全力进军“元宇宙”

Facebook changes its name to Meta in major rebrand︱Facebook正式宣布更名为Meta 将全力进军“元宇宙”

Facebook has changed its corporate name to Meta as part of a major rebrand.

Facebook正式宣布，公司名称变更为Meta/“元”。

The company said it would better "encompass" what it does, as it broadens its reach beyond social media into areas like virtual reality (VR).

该公司表示，新名字能更好地“包容”旗下各项业务，包括但不限于社交媒体、虚拟现实等许多即将拓展的新领域。

The change does not apply to its individual platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp, only the parent company that owns them.

公司旗下的Facebook、Instagram和Whatsapp等单个平台将不会更名，只有母公司才使用Meta这个新名称。

The move follows a series of negative stories about Facebook, based on documents leaked by an ex-employee.

此前Facebook遭遇了由前员工泄露的文件引发的一连串负面新闻。

Frances Haugen has accused the company of putting "profits over safety".

（前员工）弗兰西斯·豪根控诉公司，称公司“将利益凌驾于安全之上”。

In 2015, Google restructured its company calling its parent firm Alphabet, however, the name has not caught on.

2015年，谷歌公司组织架构重组，成立了控股母公司Alphabet，不过该名称并未被广泛接受。

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg announced the new name as he unveiled plans to build a "metaverse" - an online world where people can game, work and communicate in a virtual environment, often using VR headsets.

马克·扎克伯格宣布更名的同时，还公布了打造“元宇宙”的计划。“元宇宙”是一个虚拟世界，只要佩戴虚拟现实头盔，用户便能在虚拟环境中体验游戏、完成工作、沟通交流。

He said the existing brand could not "possibly represent everything that we're doing today, let alone in the future", and needed to change.

扎克伯格表示，现有的品牌名称不足以“代表我们现在所做的所有业务，更不用说将来的业务”，亟待更名。

"Over time, I hope that we are seen as a metaverse company and I want to anchor our work and our identity on what we're building towards," he told a virtual conference.

扎克伯格曾在线上会议中表示：“一直以来，我都希望外界视我们为一家‘元宇宙’公司，所以我想，要顺应我们的发展目标，开辟新的工作内容，建构新的身份。”

The company also unveiled a new sign at its headquarters in Menlo Park, California, on Thursday, replacing its thumbs-up "Like" logo with a blue infinity shape.

10月28日，公司新标识于加州门洛帕克市的总部亮相。从竖起拇指的“点赞”标识，变成了一个蓝色的无限符号。

Mr. Zuckerberg said the new name reflects that over time, users will not need to use Facebook to use the company's other services.

扎克伯格称，新名字预示着未来用户无需使用Facebook，也可使用公司的其他服务。

The word "meta" comes from the Greek word meaning "beyond".

“元”，即英文“Meta”一词来自希腊语，意为“超越”。

To an outsider, a metaverse may look like a version of VR, but some people believe it could be the future of the internet.

在外行人眼中，元宇宙是虚拟现实的一个翻版，也有人相信元宇宙是互联网的未来。

Instead of being on a computer, people in a metaverse might use a headset to enter a virtual world connecting all sorts of digital environments.

元宇宙中的人无需使用电脑，戴上头盔便可以进入虚拟世界，和各种数字环境相连。

It is hoped the virtual world could be used for practically anything from work, play and concerts, to socializing with friends and family.

人们甚至希望能在虚拟世界中做所有事情，小到工作与游戏，大到听演唱会、与亲友交谈等。

encompass

英 [ɪnˈkʌmpəs]；美[ɪnˈkʌmpəs]  

vt. 包含，包括；围绕

leak

英 [liːk]；美[liːk]  

v. 泄漏；渗入；透露（信息）

n. 漏洞；缝隙；泄漏的液体或气体；（信息等的）透露

unveil

英 [ˌʌnˈveɪld]；美[ˌʌnˈveɪld]  

v.揭开；亮相，展示，介绍，推出；公之于众

infinity

英 [ɪnˈfɪnəti]；美[ɪnˈfɪnəti]  

n. 无穷；无穷远；（数学中的）无限