Meta is now opening up its Horizon Worlds virtual reality (VR) platform to preteens with parent-managed accounts, but with some restrictions firmly in place.
The tech giant recently announced that parents can soon green-light age-appropriate virtual experiences for their kids aged 10 to 12. Exciting options include mingling in The Space Station, diving into The Aquarium, and racing through Spy School. Preteens have the choice to request specific worlds they are curious about, or parents can handpick which experiences they’ll allow access to.
In terms of safety, Meta is upping its game with several protective measures designed to keep kids secure. They’ve rolled out a new rating system—10+, 13+, or 18+—helping inform parents which worlds suit younger users best. Parents can authorize all 10+ rated worlds in one go, effectively hiding 18+ content from the younger crowd. Moreover, preteens are shielded from follower suggestions, and by default, their status appears “offline” unless parents decide otherwise.
Adding to these precautions, Meta has made the “Personal Boundary” feature a permanent fixture. This setting ensures avatars have a virtual bubble around them, maintaining a two-foot distance from others to prevent close encounters.
This move comes alongside other recent updates from Meta, including allowing parents to approve who their children chat with or invite into virtual spaces. Plus, a new prompt now requires users of Meta Quest 2 or 3 headsets to re-enter their date of birth before getting started.
Since June 2023, these parent-managed preteen accounts have been up and running. However, even with the added safety gears, skepticism remains. Some parents and guardians continue to worry about Meta’s ability to truly safeguard young users, a concern stemming from past allegations.
Earlier this year, internal documents surfaced in a lawsuit by the New Mexico Department of Justice, revealing Meta’s alleged promotion of its messaging services to underage users, despite knowing about the exchange of inappropriate content between adults and minors. Furthermore, another lawsuit backed by 42 state attorneys claims that Meta deliberately crafted its products to lure in children, raising concerns about the impact on their mental health.
