Guest editorial: Exploring the research opportunities and challenges in the metaverse.

The article discusses the concept of the metaverse, which is a virtual world that intertwines with the physical world using mixed technologies. It explores the potential and challenges of the metaverse in various industries such as e-commerce, advertising, education, and tourism. The article also highlights the different perspectives on the societal implications of the metaverse, including both opportunities and risks. It introduces a special issue of Internet Research that focuses on research topics related to the metaverse and provides summaries of the articles included in the issue. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for further research on the challenges and unintended impacts of the metaverse and the importance of a comprehensive understanding of its implications. [Extracted from the article]