Image: Meta
Meta is making Horizon Worlds available to younger teens. The metaverse space will be accessible to teens aged 13 to 17 in Canada and the US in the coming weeks. Meta promises "robust" safety measures and parental controls. It wants to ensure the experience is "age-appropriate." And this gradual rollout will determine how well the protections are working.
Horizon Worlds' teen profiles will be private by default and won't automatically show locations or active statuses. Unfamiliar adults won't appear on their "people you might know" lists. The age ratings prevent teens from creating or using mature content. Plus, a "voice mode" garbles the voices of anyone that isn't following back. Younger users will also get safety tips while in virtual reality.
Parents can use the Meta Quest app or Family Center to control different features (like personal boundaries), allow or block apps, see who's following who, and track usage. All users can cast their VR view to an external screen so parents can see what's happening.