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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Mark Zuckerberg showed off Facebook's VR platform [theverge.com] on Monday with a "tone-deaf" trip to Puerto Rico:

Mark Zuckerberg put on an Oculus Rift this afternoon and used Facebook's new virtual reality platform [theverge.com], Facebook Spaces, to transport himself to Puerto Rico, the Moon, and his house. He broadcast the moment live [theverge.com] on Facebook in what turned out to be a rather strange demo of a social platform that doesn't have a clear use yet. In particular, Zuckerberg's choice of locations emphasized just how odd it'll be to watch other people in any sort of serious situation in virtual reality.

Zuckerberg's first stop, along with Facebook social VR chief Rachel Franklin, was to Puerto Rico, where he stood in front of a 360-degree video from NPR [youtube.com] documenting the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. He used the opportunity to discuss what Facebook is doing to aid relief — matching donations, sharing data with the Red Cross — but it was all pretty strange to watch for what perhaps should have been an obvious reason: Zuckerberg was represented by a floating cartoon character.

Up next: Puerto Ricans and homeless Californians tour Mark Zuckerberg's home at 1456 Edgewood Dr, Palo Alto, CA 94301 [cnbc.com].

Also at The Register [theregister.co.uk], The Guardian [theguardian.com], and CNET [cnet.com].

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