Meta Opens Horizon Worlds to Preteens with Parental Approval

Meta has opened its doors to allow young users, specifically those under parental supervision, to engage with selected parts of its Horizon Worlds virtual reality (VR) platform, albeit with specific safety measures.

The firm revealed plans for enabling parents to handpick suitable environments for their preteens (ages 10 to 12) to visit within the platform. This includes socializing in The Space Station, discovering The Aquarium, and enjoying the Spy School racing challenge. Either the preteens themselves can select their preferred worlds for access, or their parents can proactively authorize certain worlds for them.

In addition, Meta has implemented heightened safeguards to keep children safe. A new rating system categorizes VR worlds as 10+, 13+, or 18+, which helps parents instantly approve all worlds rated 10+ for their children, effectively hiding any 18+ content. Moreover, the platform disables follower suggestions for preteens and sets their online status and visibility to “offline” by default, changes that only parents can alter.

The platform ensures a “Personal Boundary” feature is always active, creating two virtual feet of space around avatars to maintain personal space and prevent unwanted proximity.

These updates come alongside Meta’s move to enable parents to vet their children’s contacts in VR, endorsing safer interactions. Also noteworthy is the mandate for Meta Quest 2 or 3 headset users to confirm their age upon setup.

Since June 2023, Meta has provided parents the ability to manage accounts for their preteen children.

Despite these security protocols, skepticism persists among parents and guardians regarding Meta’s commitment to safeguarding young users, especially in the wake of various allegations pointing to the company’s shortcomings in protecting this age group on its platforms.

Notably, earlier this year, Meta faced scrutiny for allegedly marketing its messaging services to minors, fully aware of the unsuitable interactions between adults and children, based on internal records highlighted in legal action initiated by the New Mexico Department of Justice. In a separate legal battle, 42 U.S. state attorneys general have accused Meta of deliberately designing its platforms to be addictive to children, potentially harming their mental health.