Internet
irl
What does irl mean?
'In real life' — the offline, physical world, contrasted with online/on-chain or metaverse activity; sometimes jokingly called 'meatspace'.
"We finally met IRL at the NFT meetup."
Origin
Long-standing internet acronym adopted in web3 to contrast with the metaverse.
Frequently asked questions
What does IRL mean?
It stands for 'in real life' — the offline, physical world, as opposed to online, on-chain or metaverse activity.
How is IRL used in web3?
In web3 it contrasts the physical world with virtual spaces, like meeting fellow collectors 'IRL' at an in-person NFT event instead of just in Discord.
Is IRL the same as meatspace?
Yes, meatspace is a more ironic slang synonym for IRL — both refer to the real, physical world off the screen.
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