Facebook创始人马克·扎克伯格日前宣布，将把母公司更名为Meta（元），并希望人们将其视为“元宇宙公司”，暗示了Facebook对元宇宙的雄心。Facebook总部的标志牌也已经更换为代表Meta的蓝色无限符号。

 

Facebook has changed its corporate¹ name to Meta as part of a major rebrand.

Facebook正式宣布将公司名更改为Meta。

 

The company said it would better "encompass²" what it does, as it broadens its reach beyond social media into areas like virtual reality (VR).

该公司称，这个新名字能更好地“包容”旗下业务，不光是社交媒体，还有虚拟现实等即将拓展的新领域。

 

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·豪根指责Facebook“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，谷歌重组了公司，并将母公司更名为Alphabet，不过这个名称没有广为流传。

 

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.

Facebook老板马克·扎克伯格宣布新名称的同时还公布了打造“元宇宙”的计划。“元宇宙”是人们可以在虚拟环境中（通常通过佩戴虚拟现实头盔）玩游戏、工作和交流的一个网络世界。

 

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，现有的品牌名称无法“代表我们现在所做的所有业务，更不用说将来的业务”，所以需要更改。

 

"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.

扎克伯格在一次线上会议上说：“随着时间推移，我希望我们被视为一家元宇宙公司，并打算将我们的工作和身份定位于我们正在构建的目标。”

 

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 infinity³ shape.

本周四（10月28日），该公司还在加州门洛帕克的总部公开了新标识，将竖起大拇指的“点赞”标识牌更换成了蓝色无限符号标识牌。

 

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，新名字意味着，未来用户无需使用Facebook也可以使用公司的其他服务。

 

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

Meta一词来自希腊语，意思是“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.

对圈外人士而言，元宇宙也许像虚拟现实的一个版本，但是有些人认为这将是互联网的未来。

 

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 socialising with friends and family.

人们希望可以在虚拟世界中做几乎所有事情，包括工作、游戏、听音乐会以及和亲友社交。

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