Introduction: This study explores how immersive childhoods shape emerging forms of identity, learning, and exposure to misinformation within generative metaverses between 2010 and 2025. Methodology: Using an exploratory-descriptive bibliometric approach, a systematic review was conducted under PRISMA-S guidelines, drawing data from Scopus and Web of Science and processed through Bibliometrix and Biblioshinyin R. Results: The final corpus of 383 documents and 216 sources enabled mapping of productivity, collaboration, and conceptual co-occurrence patterns related to algorithmic communication and artificial intelligence in digital childhood research. Discussion: Findings reveal steady scientific growth, four major thematic clusters- algorithmic infrastructure, immersive learning, machine-learning optimization, and semantic communication-and above-average international collaboration within the social sciences. Ethical and educational gaps emerge in child representation and data governance, indicating an early stage of interdisciplinary maturity. Conclusions: Research on generative metaverses and digital childhoods demands explainable analytical frameworks, algorithmic literacy, and child-protection strategies grounded in equity, transparency, and responsible design.
Introduction: The metaverse and generative artificial intelligence (GAI) are shaping a disruptive scenario for contemporary communication, especially in Generation Alpha's socialization. This study examines their ethical, social, and cultural implications, considering risks such as privacy, identity, and misinformation, while highlighting opportunities for educational innovation and digital inclusion. Objective: The research explores the communicative implications of Generation Alpha's interaction with metaverses enhanced by GAI, with a particular focus on the role of NEO NPCs and the challenges they pose for communicative ethics, identity construction, and digital equity. Methodology: A mixed-method approach is adopted: a systematic literature review of recent publications (2020-2025) and a qualitative analysis of young users' digital experiences in immersive environments (Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft, VRChat). Results: Findings reveal that Generation Alpha experiences the metaverse as a space for identity expression and extended socialization. However, significant risks are observed, related to lack of regulation, biometric data protection, algorithmic manipulation, misinformation, and access equity. Discussion: The analysis shows that GAI in the metaverse expands communicative possibilities but also increases ethical dilemmas around transparency, misinformation, and corporate responsibility. Conclusions: If designed according to principles of communicative ethics, inclusion, and sustainability, the metaverse can become a strategic space for social and cultural innovation for Generation Alpha.
Introduction: The emergence of the metaverse in 2021 ushered in a new digital era that poses profound ethical and social dilemmas today. This research examines the socio-political implications of Meta's project, questioning how its institutional narrative legitimizes new forms of control. Methodology: A qualitative approach is employed through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of Meta's foundational video (accessed in 2025), examining linguistic legitimation strategies through the categories proposed by Fairclough, in convergence with the corporate legitimation model of Patala et al. (2019). Results: The analysis identifies four rhetorical strategies that articulate the company's narrative: 1) inclusion strategies; 2) construction metaphors; 3) visionary prospective; and 4) institutional shield. Discussion: The results suggest that Meta's discourse operates as a mechanism of ideological legitimization that tends to render power asymmetries invisible. Through synthetic personalization, the narrative projects an appearance of horizontal community and positions the metaverse as a normative technological development. Conclusions: The study concludes that Meta's narrative favours the consolidation of its hegemony in the virtual environment. The findings indicate that the discourse frames the private management of the human experience within frameworks of collective benefit, contributing to the validation of the dynamics of surveillance capitalism.
Introduction: The metaverse is an emerging space for digital communication, where platforms like ZEPETO are essential for reaching new audiences. The goal of this research is to analyze the marketing strategies of Asian brands on ZEPETO to understand how cultural and technological factors influence consumer engagement and global reach. Methodology: An exploratory and descriptive study was conducted using a mixed content analysis approach. The sample, initially consisting of 59 brand experiences, allowed for an in-depth analysis of 13 of them, representing companies from the five most significant Asian economies in the third decade of the 21st century (China, Japan, India, Indonesia, and South Korea). Results: The findings indicate that Asian brands focus on creating immersive worlds rather than traditional advertising, employing destination marketing strategies, community hubs for fans, and innovation showrooms. Discussion: User involvement is encouraged through digital identities of avatars, virtual goods, gamification, and role-playing narratives. Conclusions: A key takeaway is that the use of specific Asian cultural elements, linked to the "Korean Wave" (Hallyu), is not merely a secondary factor but a vital strategic asset for building authentic connections, expanding global influence, and serving as a soft power tool.
Introduction: This article analyzes the perceptions of radio professionals and the Spanish audience regarding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the radio ecosystem, considering its current uses, perceived changes in professional routines, and associated ethical dilemmas. Methodology: A mixed-methods, exploratory approach is adopted, combining semi-structured interviews with ten radio professionals and an online survey of 2,500 radio listeners in Spain. The qualitative phase examines professional discourse on AI in relation to production processes and news practices, while the quantitative phase analyzes audience perceptions, paying particular attention to the acceptance of synthetic voices and generational differences. Results: The results indicate selective acceptance of AI as a support tool for technical and documentary tasks, such as transcription, audio editing, and content management. However, both professionals and the audience show a majority rejection of the use of synthetic voices in news contexts, associating them with lower credibility and authenticity. Statistical analysis confirms the existence of a significant generational gap in the acceptance of AI. Conclusions: The study concludes that AI does not replace radio professionals, but rather redefines their role, reinforcing functions related to editorial judgment, ethical oversight, and mediation between automated systems and audiences. Transparency and human oversight emerge as key principles for the sustainable integration of AI in Spanish radio.
