Search our blog for articles and insights right here, just type your interest and dive into a world of knowledge.
Popular articles
Meta Expands VR Capabilities to Younger Users with Parental Controls
Meta announced a significant change targeting younger users on Wednesday. Children aged 10 to 12 will soon be able to interact with others in virtual reality (VR) if they receive parental consent. Previously, young users were restricted from chatting or interacting with others on Quest, Meta's VR platform. The upcoming update allows parents to individually approve contacts that their children can chat with, call, and invite to join them in parent-approved VR experiences.
Enhanced Parental Controls
Meta is introducing features that enable parents to have greater control over their children's VR interactions. Parents can manage approved contacts by adding them to their child’s "Following" and "Followers" lists. Children can request to make a follower an approved contact, but parents retain the authority to delete any approved contact if needed. This approach ensures that children interact only with vetted individuals, enhancing safety and control.
A Strategic Move to Engage Younger Users
By opening its VR experiences to a younger demographic, Meta aims to familiarize them with its technology early on. The company anticipates that early exposure will increase the likelihood of continued use as children grow older. This strategy also positions Meta to compete more effectively with other popular platforms among younger users, such as Roblox and Microsoft's Minecraft.
Previous Steps and Safety Concerns
Last year, Meta lowered the minimum age for using its Quest headset from 13 to 10, accompanied by the introduction of parent-managed accounts. These accounts grant children between the ages of 10 to 12 access to age-appropriate VR experiences. However, VR remains a relatively new technology, and the potential risks associated with its use have not been fully understood, raising safety concerns among parents and experts alike. Meta’s new initiatives come at a time when Congress is scrutinizing tech companies, including Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat, to enforce stricter measures for protecting children on their platforms.
Meta's latest update aims to balance the appeal of VR for younger users with robust parental controls, addressing both engagement and safety considerations in the evolving digital landscape.
