Meta has recently opened the doors of its virtual reality platform, Horizon Worlds, to preteens through parent-managed accounts, though they aren’t doing so without implementing several safeguards.
In a move to allow more family-friendly VR experiences, Meta announced that parents will soon have the power to approve specific age-appropriate worlds for their preteens, aged 10 to 12, to explore. The options available include attractions like The Space Station, adventures in The Aquarium, and action-packed games such as Spy School racing. Kids can either suggest which worlds they want to visit, or parents can manually select and approve suitable ones from a provided list.
Alongside offering these experiences, Meta has stepped up its safety protocols to ensure a secure environment for young users. They’ve introduced a new rating system — 10+, 13+, and 18+ — to clearly label the suitability of each VR world. This makes it simpler for parents to bulk-approve all 10+ rated worlds, while 18+ content stays inaccessible for preteens. To add another layer of protection, preteens won’t see follower suggestions, and their online status will automatically be set to “offline” unless a parent decides to change it.
Meta has also kept the “Personal Boundary” feature always on, ensuring avatars maintain a safety bubble with a radius of two virtual feet to prevent unwanted proximity.
This update is part of a series of efforts by Meta to provide better control to parents over who their kids can chat with and invite into their VR spaces. Additionally, users with Meta Quest 2 or 3 headsets will need to verify their age by re-entering their birthday before using the device.
Parent-managed accounts were initially made available in June 2023, but despite these assurances, there remains a level of skepticism among parents and guardians. Many question Meta’s commitment to safeguarding young users, largely due to past controversies involving the company’s handling of minors on its platforms.
Earlier this year, Meta found itself in hot water after internal documents revealed that the company had consciously promoted its messaging platforms to underage users, despite knowing about the exchanges of inappropriate content between adults and kids. This issue was highlighted in a lawsuit by the New Mexico Department of Justice. Furthermore, another legal challenge brought by attorneys from 42 U.S. states alleges that Meta’s products are designed to captivate children in ways that can harm their mental health.
