Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is expanding the audience for its Quest virtual reality (VR) headsets by lowering the age requirement for Quest 2 and 3 accounts. Later this year, the age limit will be reduced from 13 to 10, with the introduction of parent-controlled accounts. Kids will need parental approval to set up accounts, download apps, and block access to existing software. Parents will also have the ability to set time limits for device usage.
To address privacy concerns, Meta claims to have implemented strict privacy controls. It will provide age-appropriate app store experiences and recommendations if parents voluntarily provide their child’s age. Ads will not be served to children, and parents will have the choice to opt-in or opt-out of data collection for personalized experiences. Meta Horizon profiles for younger users will be private by default, requiring approval for follows and active status updates. However, the requirement for users of Horizon Worlds to be 13 and older remains in place.
