Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced a new development - they will be allowing children aged 10 to 12 to connect with others in virtual reality (VR) calls on its Horizon Worlds.
This will require permission from their parents or guardians.
This announcement follows Meta's introduction of parent-managed accounts for families last year and the reduction of age restrictions for Quest headset users.
Meta Consistent in Upholding Parental Control
Meta states that it is aware that many children and teens want to experience MR and VR.
Still, the company is keen on keeping parental controls while making these technologies available to children.
“And we’re excited to share that soon, parents will be able to individually add approved contacts that a 10- to 12-year-old can then chat with, call, and send or accept invites to join them in MR or VR experiences,” Meta said.
However, they meticulously mentioned that parental approval was still important for children to have this experience.
Meta says they are giving “preteens the option to enjoy age-appropriate, social experiences, managed by their parents.”
Thus, the implication is that they can chat with their friends and family members so long as their parents manage and approve the contact.
According to Meta, preteens “can be part of the Apollo space missions, trek around Mt. Cook in New Zealand, create their own singing club, or simply play their favorite games.”
But how will this work out?
Meta was quick to provide the ground rules for this major decision.
First, only someone who follows a preteen or who follows a preteen is allowed to become an eligible contact.
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However, parents will approve the contacts. They will not only give approval but also manage it and can remove such contact at any time.
When all of these are done, the preteens get the chance of a Meta virtual reality world, where they can chat and play games of their choice.
Meta Promises to Add Teens in their Virtual Reality Activities
Meta says it is committed to providing a renewed and enhanced virtual reality experience for preteens.
The company is interested in building MR and VR products and will consistently meet with parents to get feedback. Its major objective is to develop safe, positive MR and VR experiences for young people.
“Our commitment to building safe, positive experiences for young people is at the forefront. In addition to working with third-party experts, we meet with families on an ongoing basis to gather feedback and help ensure that we’re building tools and protections that are easy to use, elevate the safety of MR and VR, and enable young people to have a great social experience,” Meta added.
Despite all these promises, it is important to point out that Meta has a history of violating its commitments.
According to high-level claims made by the Federal Trade Commission last year, the company profited from the data of young people on Instagram and Horizon Worlds.