Today, we dive deep into the ever-evolving landscape of the Meta Verse, where virtual realms and augmented realities intertwine. Hold on tight as we discuss the latest buzz surrounding Meta (formerly known as Facebook) and their bold move to lower the minimum age requirement from 13 to 10. As this digital universe expands its horizons, let us explore the potential benefits and pitfalls of this decision and shed light on the crucial safety measures being implemented to protect our young adventures.
Why This Change?
Despite outside pressure from legislators to stop targeting younger users with its VR services, Meta posted its intentions to lower the recommended age from 13 to 10. Last year, Meta introduced parental supervision tools for the first time. This meant that only parents can create parent-managed accounts and once set up, they have control over which VR apps their children can download as well as how long they can use VR. So what are the benefits of lowering the age?
Benefits of Lower Age Restrictions
Lowering the minimum age to 10 opens up a realm of possibilities for younger users to immerse themselves in the wonders of the Meta Verse. It provides an opportunity for children to develop their digital literacy, creativity, and social skills in a controlled and monitored environment. With appropriate guidance and parental supervision, younger users can learn to navigate this new digital world responsibly.
“There’s a vast array of engaging and educational apps, games and more across our platform, the majority of which are rated for ages 10 and up” – Meta
Potential Pitfalls
On the flip side, lowering the age has caused much speculation over child safety and privacy concerns. The Meta Verse is a vast digital landscape, and ensuring the protection of younger users is of paramount importance. Although Meta will collect data from this user group, they will not serve ads and promise to delete all data if the Meta account is deleted. Even though many are still in disagreement with this concept, these accounts will be available for both Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 which will be released this autumn.
As we embark on this journey into the Meta Verse, let us not forget the shared responsibility we bear. Parents, educators and society as a whole must actively engage in conversations about online safety and digital citizenship. By fostering a culture of education and awareness, we can empower children to make informed choices and recognise potential risks. Helping us navigate the Meta Verse with confidence.
Source: Meta to Lower Age for Users of Virtual Reality
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