As Meta looks toward its metaverse future, it's considering its pathways to optimal adoption and getting people to actually move from Facebook and Instagram into its more advanced digital space.

A key guide point here will be avatars-the digital characters that people will use to represent themselves in these virtual spaces. That's why Meta keeps adding in more avatar options as a means to normalize connection via these tools, in hopes that this will help usher in a new wave of engagement, by better linking you to these virtual depictions.

And today, Meta has added an additional avatar option, which means that individuals can now conduct video calls on Instagram and Messenger through their Meta character.
According to Meta,

"We've all been there: A call comes in but your hair looks like a hot mess. Or you've just been bawling your eyes out while re-watching 'From Scratch' for the umpteenth time (no judgment). Sometimes, we're just not camera-ready. Wouldn't it be great if there were a third option between camera-off and camera-on to let you feel a little more present on the call?"

As you can see in the above example, Meta's video call avatars, which will be available in one tap from the camera, will respond to how your face moves, and you'll be able to interact using your Meta cartoon depiction.
Yeah, they look a bit weird, but it could give you another option for connection, while also, as noted, serving an important connective purpose, in further aligning you with your digital depiction.

That's not all – Meta's also introducing animated avatar stickers in Instagram and Facebook Stories and Reels, Facebook comments, and 1:1 message threads on Messenger and Instagram.

"From a jaunty wave hello or a slow clap of approval to showing off your avatar's dance moves, there are plenty of ways to put your personality on full display,
Meta is also including avatar tagging in stickers, 'so you and your friends' avatars can hang out and do things together in the metaverse just like you do IRL.'
Which Snapchat added, like, five years ago - but it may help to further Meta's avatar adoption all the same.

Meta is also adding more advanced options for creating avatars on Facebook and WhatsApp, which will develop an avatar representation of you based on a selfie. It is also standardizing the look of its avatar characters, so your digital doppelganger will look the same across all of Meta's apps and surfaces.

The good news is that over a billion Meta Avatars have been created so far, which should bode well for its next-level communications push.

The thing is: 'Is this really how people want to connect, and will be looking to interact in the future?'
The logic is sound, based on how children already communicate in game worlds like Fortnite and Roblox-albeit whether that will translate into other forms of communications, such as business meetings, only time will tell.

It certainly will alleviate some anxiety, and the broader work-from-home shift, spurred by pandemic lockdowns, also fits with modern connective trends.

But we’re still a way off from people looking to conduct more of their interactions via digital characters. And with photo-realistic avatars also in development, it may not ever become a thing.

But this is the thinking. Youngsters already interact via virtual characters, and are accustomed to engaging with each other in this way.

If the metaverse is to ever take off, Meta sees this as an important 'in' – and that's why it's continuing to add more avatar options, in hopes of shifting usage behaviors.