In a recent blog post, Meta, formerly known as Facebook, announced its decision to officially permit children as young as 10 years old to use its Meta Quest 2 and 3 virtual reality (VR) headsets. However, this allowance comes with the condition that parents give their approval. While Meta emphasizes the availability of engaging and educational apps andgames for kids, concerns regarding the health effects of VR on young users remain.
The introduction of parent-managed Meta accounts aims to give parents control over their children’s VR experiences. Parents will have the authority to manage which apps preteens can access and set time limits for their usage. To access this feature, parents can navigate to the “family center” section of their Meta accounts.
Regarding data collection, Meta asserts that any information gathered from 10 to 12-year-olds using Meta Quest products will be used to deliver age-appropriate experiences. Notably, Meta states that it does not serve ads to this age group. Parents will have the option to determine whether their child’s data contributes to enhancing the overall VR experience. Furthermore, parents will be able to delete their child’s account, including all associated data.
