Meta Platforms recently released its latest mixed reality headset, the Quest 3, demonstrating its continued dominance in the Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality market. In a noteworthy move, the company has decided to decrease the minimum age requirement for Meta Quest account users from 13 to 10 years old. This means that parents can now set up parent-managed Meta accounts for their 10 and 12-year-old children using the Quest 2 and Quest 3 headsets, beginning later this year. Meta has assured users in this age group that they will not be subjected to ads, and the platform will recommend only safe and age-appropriate apps.
In a blog post shared on Friday, Meta’s parent company, Facebook, announced the upcoming ability for parents to create accounts for their children aged 10 to 12 on the Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3 headsets. However, it is important to note that preteens will need their parents’ approval to set up an account and download apps onto the virtual reality headsets. Meta will utilize children’s ages to curate “age-appropriate experiences” throughout its app store, providing recommendations for apps that align with their respective age groups. Despite the reduced age limit, parents will have full control over the apps their children can download from the Meta Quest Platform and can block access to apps at any time.
Addressing parental concerns, Meta has implemented features that allow parents to set time limits for headset usage and schedule breaks for their children. Additionally, they can cast the VR experiences onto a phone or TV screen, enabling them to monitor their children’s activities while using the headset.
To further protect children’s privacy, Meta will automatically set profiles for kids aged 10 to 12 as private by default. This ensures that unknown individuals cannot follow young users without their or their parents’ consent. By default, the active status and current app usage of this age group will be hidden from others, unless the parent chooses to share this information. Moreover, preteens will not have the ability to modify default privacy and safety settings.
Meta emphasizes that no advertisements will be displayed for participants in this age group. Parents can decide if their child’s data can be used to enhance Meta’s services, and they also have the option to delete their child’s account and related user information.
Meta is actively collaborating with the developer community to introduce more age-appropriate apps and games to the Meta Quest Platform for children aged 10 to 12. Currently, Meta’s social virtual reality app, Horizon Worlds, is accessible only to individuals aged 13 and above in the US and Canada. In Europe, the minimum age requirement is set at 18.
In summary, Meta’s latest initiative aims to cater to younger audiences by ensuring a safe and engaging virtual reality experience. By lowering the age limit for Meta Quest accounts, implementing parental controls, and curating age-appropriate content, Meta reinforces its commitment to protecting children while empowering them to explore the virtual realm.
Denial of responsibility! TechCodex is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
Alex Smith is a writer and editor with over 10 years of experience. He has written extensively on a variety of topics, including technology, business, and personal finance. His work has been published in a number of magazines and newspapers, and he is also the author of two books. Alex is passionate about helping people learn and grow, and he believes that writing is a powerful tool for communication and understanding.