Ensuring Age-Appropriate Experiences on Meta Quest
In a digital age where virtual reality (VR) offers boundless opportunities for entertainment, education, and socializing, ensuring these experiences are age-appropriate has become paramount. Meta, the tech giant behind the popular Quest VR devices, has introduced a new initiative to ensure users of Quest 2 and Quest 3 devices enjoy content that is suited to their age. By requiring users to confirm their age through re-entering their birthdate, Meta aims to tailor the VR experience to best fit each age group’s needs and safety requirements.
The Right Account For You
From battling zombies to virtual concerts with friends or exploring outer space, Meta Quest offers a diverse range of experiences. Catering these experiences to the appropriate age groups not only enhances enjoyment but also ensures safety and privacy. Here’s a brief overview of how Meta segments accounts by age:
- Adults (18+): Adults have the option to choose between a private or public profile, manage visibility of their current app usage, and recent activities. They also have the default status of being actively visible to followers unless they choose to turn it off.
- Teens (13-17): Teen accounts on Quest come with privacy-focused settings by default. Profiles are set to private, with the ability to approve follower requests. Other privacy settings such as activity visibility and app usage are also set to private, with the option to share selectively. Parental supervision tools are available for this age group, fostering a safe VR environment.
- Preteens (10-12): The most restricted settings are applied to preteens. Accounts for users in this age bracket are managed by parents, with mandatory private settings for profiles, activities, and app usages. Parents also control app downloads and can block access to certain apps as necessary.
How It Works
Upon receiving a prompt, users are required to log into their Meta account and enter their birthdate within a 30-day period. This step is crucial for Meta to provide an age-appropriate account setting. Birthdate information remains private, shared only at the user’s discretion. For those who make an error during this process, age verification can be redone using valid ID or a credit card to regain access to the account.
It’s important to complete the birthday entry within the stipulated period to avoid temporary account restrictions, which would affect the ability to use Quest devices. This protective measure ensures that all users enjoy a safe, age-appropriate VR environment tailored to their needs.
Our Approach To Understanding Age
Meta is committed to facilitating a better understanding among developers about the ages of their app users. This commitment is reflected in the investment in User Age Group APIs, which enable the categorization of apps based on the targeted age group (preteens, teens, or adults). When an app is launched on the Meta Quest platform, these APIs aid in tailoring content that is both appropriate for the user’s age and ensures data protection for young users.
Family Center
To further support families, Meta has introduced the Family Center. This hub provides information on the protections for preteens in parent-managed accounts, additional parental supervision settings, and tools for teens. It is a valuable resource for anyone looking to set up new parent-managed Meta accounts or learn more about navigating VR safely for their children.
In the realm of digital and virtual experiences, safeguarding privacy and ensuring age-appropriate content are critical. Through these thoughtful measures, Meta is leading the way in creating a safe, enjoyable, and inclusive virtual reality experience for all users, regardless of age.
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