Fiction references in extended reality news: the Matrix is a good thing?
This article was originally published on the Public Understanding of Science Blog and is republished on CAVRN with the permission of the author, Emma Kaylee Graves-Sandriman. You can find the original article here.
Many science fiction narratives present cautionary tales of technology, particularly when it comes to extended reality (XR; including virtual, augmented and mixed reality). My recent research (Graves-Sandriman, 2024) examined the use of fiction references in UK news about XR. As summarised here, I found that journalists typically use fiction references to present XR positively, despite the dystopic narratives found in fiction.
Fiction references in UK news
In UK news, fiction references are used to support readersâ understanding of XR products through the use of metaphors, comparisons and imagery. For example, a headline about virtual reality in the Sun began with âEnter the Matrixâ (Murphy, 2017) and the MailOnline described a virtual reality âStar Trek-like headsetâ (Best, 2017). Another used imagery of Tom Cruise in Minority Report to explain how finger rings can be used to interact with the virtual reality environment (Woollaston, 2014).
Making links with popular cultural texts allows readers to easily understand the features of new technologies, especially through the use of imagery which will resonate even with those who are not familiar with the films or TV shows.
Moving beyond simple comparisons, UK news coverage also employed a âscience fiction to science factâ narrative to suggest these fictional technologies are now real. Referring to Star Trek, a MailOnline headline read ââHolodeckâ becomes a realityâ (OâCallaghan, 2014) and the Guardian quoted Meta owner Mark Zuckerberg stating âIn just a few years, VR has gone from being this science fiction dream to an awesome realityâ (Day, 2015).
Across all of the articles I analysed, The Matrix franchise was the most commonly cited fictional text. These films present a dystopia where humans are trapped in a computer simulation in order to power machines. Despite that, even references to The Matrix itself were presented as a desirable vision for a virtual reality experience, rather than being used to raise concerns or spark fears.
Fictional representations of technology (including the Matrix) are much more advanced than their real world counterparts. By comparing the quality of the experience to fictional XR, instead of focusing on the dystopic narrative, these references work to present the technologies positively.
However, claiming that these fictional technologies are becoming real could lead readers to assume that the actual devices are more developed and of a higher quality than is truly the case.
By comparing the quality of the experience to fictional XR, instead of focusing on the dystopic narrative, these references work to present the technologies positively.
The impact on perception and adoption
On the one hand, using fiction to aid understanding and present the technologies as high-quality promotes adoption. This supports the first two stages of Rogersâ (2003) innovation decision process (awareness and desire) that must occur before someone decides to adopt a new technology.
On the other hand, as Ruef and Markard (2010) show, raising unrealistic expectations for XR could harm its dissemination once users experience it for themselves and become disappointed that it was not as high quality as they expected.
Still, presenting XR positively through these fiction references benefits the companies producing them (at least initially) by fostering positive perceptions which can lead to interest and/or adoption.
The importance of technology journalism
Our perceptions of technological innovations can be shaped by many factors, from their fictional representations, to their news coverage, to our own experiences of interacting with them. Before new technologies are widely available, fiction and news play a key role in this because they may be our first (or even only) sources of information about the technologies.
It is important that we have access to information about the benefits and opportunities of innovations, as well as their potential drawbacks or risks. This fosters healthy debate and allows the general public to make well-informed decisions on whether a new technology is for them.
However, the research discussed here (as well as my wider study of XR media coverage (Graves, 2024)) shows that there is a lack of critical news coverage of XR, even in cases where it would be easy to do so (e.g. through links to dystopic fiction narratives). The Matrix is presented as an example of a desirable, high quality XR experience, with little consideration of the concerns raised in its narrative.
UK technology news appears to be constructed in a way that supports the commercial interests of big tech companies by paying attention only to the positives. This highlights an issue with technology journalism regarding whose interests are prioritised when creating news content. Future technology journalism should take a more balanced approach to reporting on innovations, shifting the priority away from big tech companies and back to its readers.
References
Best, S. (2017) âStar Trek-like headset lets woman who lost her sight as a child see her husband and baby for the first timeâ, MailOnline, 20 February. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4242456/Star-Trek-like-glasses-allow-blind-people-see.html (accessed 2 August 2023).
Day, E. (2015) âVirtual reality? Not for me. Then I turn into Wonder Woman and fly over New Yorkâ, Guardian, 11 October. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/11/virtual-reality-oculus-rift-stanford-silicon-valley-facebook (accessed 2 August 2023).
Graves, E.K. (2024) Covering Extended Reality Technologies in the Media. Oxon: Routledge.
Graves-Sandriman, E.K. (2024) ‘Fiction references as framing devices in extended reality news discourse’, Public Understanding of Science, https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625241277446.
Murphy, M. (2017) âENTER THE MATRIX Virtual reality will soon be so advanced that humans will CHOOSE to live in computer simulations, tech firm claimsâ, Sun, 13 April. Available at: https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/3317538/tech-firm-amd-says-virtual-reality-will-soon-be-so-advanced-that-humans-will-choose-to-live-in-computer-simulations/ (accessed 2 August 2023).
OâCallaghan, J. (2014) ââHolodeckâ becomes a reality: Star Trek-style system uses a wireless Oculus Rift to visit virtual worldsâ, MailOnline, 21 July. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2700073/Holodeck-reality-Star-Trek-style-uses-wireless-Oculus-Rift-visit-virtual-worlds.html (accessed 2 August 2023).
Rogers, E.M. (2003) Diffusion of Innovations. 5th edn. New York: Free Press.
Ruef, A. and Markard, J. (2010) âWhat Happens After a Hype? How Changing Expectations Affected Innovation Activities in the Case of Stationary Fuel Cellsâ, Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 22(3), pp. 317-338. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537321003647354
Woollaston, V. (2014) âTurn your iPhone into a virtual reality headset: ÂŁ63 PinÄ uses optical rings and hand gestures to control the screenâ, MailOnline, 26 November. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2850203/Turn-iPhone-virtual-reality-headset-63-Pinc-uses-optical-rings-hand-gestures-control-screen.html (accessed 2 August 2023).
Recommended citation
Graves-Sandriman, E. K. (October, 2024). Fiction references in extended reality news: the Matrix is a good thing? Critical Augmented and Virtual Reality Researchers Network (CAVRN). https://cavrn.org/fiction-references-in-extended-reality-news-the-matrix-is-a-good-thing/
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