This is the first time Meta has introduced the feature for Indian users on Facebook and Messenger, and the first time globally for Instagram users. Users can use these avatars in Instagram Stories and Direct Messages, although using these avatars as profile pictures will only work on Facebook, Meta’s flagship platform.

The use of virtual 3D avatars in messaging through stickers and for use in display images has been around for some time through private messaging. In June 2018, Apple introduced the Memoji, which used augmented reality to map a user’s face, and allowed customization of accessories, skin tones and more to create a virtual figure of one’s choosing.

Facebook Avatars, meanwhile, is bringing virtual avatars to its social media platforms – which is a nascent but growing industry. Earlier this month, a report on social media platforms using virtual avatars by data analytics firm Data.ai said usage and adoption of these companies increased by 60%. year over year in 2021.

However, most of the users interested in these apps came from mature internet markets like US, UK, France, Japan and South Korea. These standalone platforms also have limited adoption – with the Data.ai report indicating that virtual avatar social media apps collectively garnered 38 million downloads last year.

The use of virtual avatars on Meta’s platforms – Facebook and Instagram – also aims to fulfill its metaverse concept through its virtual reality platform, Horizon Worlds. Manish Chopra, director and head of partnership for India at Meta, said its introduction of virtual 3D avatars and a range of customization choices aims to cater to the diversity of real-world personalities, as part of “representations in the metaverse”.