public eye; spotlight; public attention
Refers to the scrutiny or attention of society or the general public, often with a nuance of being watched or judged. Common in phrases like 世間の目が気になる (to be concerned about what others think).
Celebrities are constantly exposed to the public eye.
He worries too much about what people think.
Compound of 世間 (society, the world) and 目 (eye), literally 'the eyes of society'. The expression is transparent and follows standard Japanese compounding patterns.