Introduction to New Parental Controls
New tools are being introduced to assist parents control what their teenagers can access on Meta’s virtual reality (VR) headset. This move comes after concerns were raised concerning the company’s efforts to guard children from inappropriate content. The UK government can also be taking steps to legislate and protect children online.
The Issue with Inappropriate Content
The Quest headset’s terms of service state that users ought to be over 13. However, there have been concerns about teenagers accessing inappropriate games and experiences, including strip clubs. Providing age-appropriate and protected experiences for teens while also empowering them to explore in VR is a difficult task, in keeping with Oculus, the Meta-owned company that makes the Quest.
New Tools for Parents
To address these concerns, Oculus is rolling out recent tools to assist parents control what their teenagers can access. These tools include:
- Allowing parents to lock specific apps directly from VR to stop teenagers accessing them
- Blocking teenagers from downloading or purchasing age-inappropriate apps within the Quest Store
- Releasing a "Parent Dashboard" to permit parents to link to their child’s account, if each the adult and teenager agree
Parent Dashboard Features
Using the Parent Dashboard, parents will have the opportunity to:
- View all of the apps their child owns
- Be notified when their child makes a purchase order in VR
- Know how much time their child is spending in VR
- View their child’s list of Oculus Friends
Instagram Parental Controls
In addition to the brand new tools for the Quest headset, Meta-owned Instagram can also be rolling out further parental controls. These controls will allow parents to:
- See how much time their teenager spends on Instagram
- Set the hours during which their child can use the app
- Receive updates on what accounts they follow and are followed by
How the Controls Will Work
Initially, teenagers themselves may have to initiate these controls. Later, parents will have the opportunity to achieve this, but only with their child’s consent. The recent tools can be launching within the US and can be available globally in the approaching months.
Conclusion
The introduction of those recent parental controls is a step in the correct direction for shielding children online. By giving parents more control over what their teenagers can access, Meta helps to make sure that children have a protected and age-appropriate experience on its platforms. As the UK government continues to legislate and protect children online, it is probably going that we are going to see more corporations introducing similar controls to guard young users.
