Zuckerberg earns shitstorm over virtual reality disaster tourism through Puerto Rico

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg advertises his virtual reality product with a disaster tourism promotion on Puerto Rico and earns a lot of criticism.

It was half disaster tourism, half a promotional campaign for his new Facebook tool. CEO Mark Zuckerberg and another Facebook employee paid a virtual visit to the flooded streets of Puerto Rico on Monday.

Puerto Rico was hit hard by Hurricane Maria around three weeks ago. Dozens of people were killed and the power and water supply as well as the telephone network failed in many areas.

Send cartoon avatars to Puerto Rico

In a livestream, the two teleported themselves in the form of their cartoon-like avatars to the island badly hit by Hurricane Maria. In fact, both were sitting comfortably in the offices of their company in California, wearing virtual reality glasses from the new Facebook tool Spaces. "What's really magical about virtual reality is that you really feel like you're in this place," said Zuckerberg, promoting his new product with the devastated Puerto Rico as a backdrop.

The Facebook founder also dutifully mentioned the aid that the social network is providing to Puerto Rico. It has donated 1.5 million US dollars and is working with the Red Cross to develop population maps so that aid workers know where help is most needed.

Action triggers shitstorm

At the end of the short virtual visit, the two high-five each other. Then it's off to the moon via virtual reality. This is probably one of the reasons for the media debacle. Various authors have labelled the story as tasteless. Zuckerberg is a "heartless billionaire" and exploits natural disasters for his own purposes, according to comments. The technology blog The Verge denounced the fact that the Facebook founder had himself ported to the Caribbean island as a cartoon-style avatar. This form is clearly not an ideal way to talk about ways to help the hurricane victims - especially for a Silicon Valley billionaire who does his best to stay in touch with Americans outside the tech world.

Zuckerberg has set himself the goal of travelling to every state in the USA this year.

 Source: New Germany / NZZ