Meta, the company behind the popular Quest virtual reality (VR) headsets, has decided to lower the minimum age requirement for its devices from 13 to 10 years old. This move comes as tech platforms face increased scrutiny regarding their handling of underage and teen users.
Starting later this year, parents will have the option to set up parent-managed Meta accounts specifically designed for children aged 10 to 12. According to Meta, this will provide parents with control over the apps their preteens can download from the Meta app store. To set up an account, preteens will require parental approval.
The company is planning to leverage the age information provided by parents to ensure age-appropriate experiences on their platform. They will recommend only age-appropriate apps and work closely with the developer community to bring more suitable apps and games to the Meta Quest Platform for this age group.
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Parent-managed Meta accounts will necessitate parents to create an account for their 10, 11, or 12-year-olds. The company emphasizes that preteens cannot establish an account without parental approval. All apps available will have detailed product descriptions, including information on data collection and usage, social features, and an age rating provided by the independent global agency, IARC.
While parent-managed Meta accounts will cater to younger users, Meta Horizon Worlds, the social VR platform, will remain limited to ages 13 and above in the US and Canada (18 and above in Europe). Preteens will not have access to Meta Horizon Worlds when parent-managed accounts become available.
Parent-managed Meta Horizon profiles will be automatically set to private, preventing unauthorized individuals from following preteens without approval from either the child or the parent. Additionally, Meta states that they do not serve ads to this age group. Parents will have the ability to decide whether their child's data contributes to improving the experience, and they can delete their child's account along with associated data if desired.
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