Meta allows its VR headset for 10-year-olds amid scrutiny

Meta has lowered the minimum age for its Quest VR headsets from age 13 to 10, as scrutiny over how tech platforms handle underage and teen users heats up.

According to the company, starting later this year, parents will be able to set up parent-managed Meta accounts for Meta Quest 2 and 3 for their children ages 10-12.

"We'll require preteens to get their parent's approval to set up an account, which will give parents control over the apps their preteens download from our app store," said the company.

When parents share their preteen's age with Meta, the company said it will use this information to provide age-appropriate experiences across app store.

"For example, we'll only recommend age-appropriate apps," it added.

Meta said it is working with the developer community over the coming months to bring even more age-appropriate apps and games onto the Meta Quest Platform for this age group to learn from and engage with.

Parent-managed Meta accounts will require parents to set up an account for their 10, 11, or 12-year-old.

Preteens won't be able to set up an account without their parent's approval, the company said.

"All apps will have a product description page that provides information on what data is collected and how it might be used, whether the app has social features, as well as an age rating provided by the IARC, an independent global agency," the company informed.

Meta Horizon Worlds remains for ages 13 and above in the US and Canada (18 and above in Europe) and will not be available to preteens when parent-managed Meta accounts become available later this year.

Parent-managed Meta Horizon profiles will be automatically set to private, meaning people won't be able to follow preteens without their or their parent's approval, the company added.

"We do not serve ads to this age group. Parents will also be able to choose whether their child's data is used to improve the experience, and they will be able to delete their child's account, including all of the data associated with it," Meta explained.

Indo-Asian News Service