Metaverse , the concept of a shared virtual environment that users access via the internet , is gathering momentum in China, as Baidu and NetEase join other Big Tech firms in applying for trademarks related to this field amid concerns over the risks involved in the new business model. NetEase, the Hangzhou-based video gaming giant, and its subsidiaries filed dozens of metaverse-related trademark applications in late October, according to Chinese business registration tracking platform Qichacha. The trademark applications filed by the NetEase group include monikers that combine the word “metaverse” with the names of the company and its artificial intelligence…