Hi everyone! So I am making this thread to raise visibility for child Meta accounts not being able to add their parents or a trusted account as a friend and vice-versa. If this situation does apply to you, please let me know of the following so I can get this info looked into. Which headset version are you currently running? You can check this in Quick Settings > Settings > Software Update > under the Current Version Details section. The formatting should be 60.#.#.###.###.######### or 62.#.#.###.###.#########. Are any of you currently enrolled in the PTC? If so, is it for the headset, PC app, or both? Can you let me know the mobile app version, along with the OS for the phone? Which headset are you using? Has anyone been able to add their child/parent as a friend from some workaround? Also, if you guys see any other threads with this problem as their main topic, please feel free to link them in the replies; I'll want to look over them if possible.

Hey everyone, I wanted to jump in here since I noticed it's been a bit of time. I reached out to our internal team for any updates to share, and it looks like this is a safety feature added for child accounts. With this being said, the best suggestion I can provide would be to post a new comment on this thread in our Ideas board I found. This will be where our engineers see user suggestions that they'd want to bring out in the future. The more engagement there is, the more likely they'll be to notice and add it. Thanks again everyone!

Child Meta account can't add Parent/Trusted Meta account as friends.

117 Replies

Fatony
Protege
2 years ago
I recently purchased a new Quest 3 and decided that since there are now child accounts available for 10years and up, I gave my quest 2 to my 10yo son. He was so excited to be able to play games with his dad. After a week of frustration I am coming here to ask... How can my son and I play multiplayer games together. There seems to be no way that I as a parent can follow my son, nor can he follow me. Is there a way to play multiplayer games with someone specific without following each other? If this is a limitation on child accounts to protect children, then please explain how my child can join random multiplayer sessions and when he did, first thing that happened was a bunch of kids using foul language. Please tell me there is a way that I can play games with my son. He is so dissapointed, as am I. It was bad enough when I found out that I could not stream what he sees to my phone so that I could help him navigate menus and settings when we first started out. Trying to get him to explain what he was seeing then trying to explain where he needed to go, was super frustrating and he was not happy when we had to keep swapping the headset between us to set it up.
- J40NYR
  MVP
  2 years ago
  Hi Fatony
  
  I think this would be solved by creating an additional account and using game sharing
  
  Basically, on your headset go to accounts and create an additional account account. Once created tick the box that says app sharing.
  
  Log onto this new account on your old headset and this will allow you to share your game library with your son
  
  To find out more about app sharing head on over to Meta's website here
  - Fatony
    Protege
    2 years ago
    I have created an account for him, and set up app sharing. The problem is with the new Child accounts (for ages 10-12) that were implemented this summer, there is no way to follow a child account, or have him follow me. all social is turned off for Child accounts and is not allowed at this time per Meta. App sharing only allows him to play apps that I have, not for us to see each other in a multiplayer game. we already can play the same apps, however, for multiplayer games you must invite or join someone you are following in order to play together. Therein lies the problem. no following child accounts means no multiplayer. unless there is something I am missing
- spyd4r
  Protege
  2 years ago
  Was this ever solved? taking it to a PM doesn't help the community
  - Fatony
    Protege
    2 years ago
    Nope. I spent a few hours on phone calls and messaged here, and was in an email exchange with the reps who helped me on the phone. They told me to "reset my account" and gave instructions that did not actually related to "resetting an acount" (whatever that means) then ghosted me like they did here on the forums. Initially they kept insisting that there were settings to allow my son and to follow each other using "trusted acount" options. But they were referring to the youth accounts (13+) no one in Meta Customer support seems to know about the CHILD Account type (10-12) Below is some of the exchange I had. I wish this were resolved. But they have no interest in fixing it evidentally.
    Hey Tony,
    
    Thanks for your patience while your case was brought to my attention. I know it would be concerning if you can't invite your son to play together in VR. I can definitely look into this for you.
    
    When you are seeing that there isn't an option to invite your son or add trusted contacts for your son's account, I would just like to clarify if you have been trying to login to Family Center with your Meta account to manage his account? For a parent managed account, certain social features would not be accessible as noted here, so this might be why you were seeing the options greyed out.
    
    In the Family Center, you should be able to manage your child’s account and privacy settings, including the password. Even with the limited social features, a child may still be able to interact with other people in apps that have social features, and the ability to meet and interact with others in the same virtual space, so this would likely explain how your son was impacted by other users in Bait!
    
    If you are still seeing options greyed out when you are logged in to the Family Center with you own account, can you please provide a screenshot of what you are seeing for us to review? Also, I would like to heck whether you have been trying to manage the account from the Meta mobile app, or by logging in to the dashboard for your family center in a browser. If you aren't seeing the options available in the mobile app, please be sure to try logging in from a full web browser.
    
    Please reply back with any details when you are able.
    
    Ernest
    Meta Store Support
- deebz1234
  Protege
  2 years ago
  So the fix is to setup a 13yr old account?
  this company is ridiculous, when something is too hard to fix it is ignored or removed...the whole 10-12yr old accounts seem like a reaction to a government law that is implemented half assed.
  come on meta...this is beyond embarrassing. Almost as bad as my quest pro which couldnt have a child account added to it. Not a single rep knew this was a problem.
Citizen112
Explorer
2 years ago
I added my child to my account, but can not add him as a friend, he can not add me ether. Private profile is on by default, however I should still be able to find him, he is not discoverable. Tried removing his account from headset. Signed out of mobile app, still cant add him.
Upon further search, it appears this is a policy matter. No social functions for kids under 12 at this time. So how can a parent and child play co-op, only if possible to find each other in game perhaps.
www.meta.com/help/quest/articles/accounts/account-settings-and-management/social-features-child-account/

For now, children aged 10-12 (age may vary by region) will not be able to access certain social features.
At this time, children 10-12 will not be able to:
Follow people or accept follow requests
Use chats or calls
Invite other people to meet them inside of an app, or accept travel invitations to meet other people inside of an app
Access the People tab
View the Recently Met list or People You May Know
- fluffychristmas2013
  Honored Guest
  1 year ago
  I am having the same issue. 10-12 should be able to have friends/family connect that are approved by the supervising account.
  - fluffychristmas2013
    Honored Guest
    1 year ago
    Yes, still need help. Also, he is unable to download a game that I purchased
- yakimurosaijo
  Explorer
  1 year ago
  Having the same issue. Created a child account so we could monitor social activities and games, but the system completely locks the child out of pretty much everything. Not being able to add trusted family and friends is a show stopper. What's worse is that the information on the help site you posted contradicts what the app says, which says "People can still search for your child's name or username and send follow requests." I was able to find the account but there's no option to send a follow request. I can block and report the account, which are also completely useless because the account can't do anything. Why even bother giving parents the ability to do some things but not basic things like add trust friends or approve follow requests.
  While I appreciate the ability to add child accounts, this was totally half baked and obviously an afterthought. As a parent, we have toggles for certain things but we can't even toggle them. Why even bother putting those in if the parent can't control those things? This shouldn't have even been a thing until it was properly thought out and tested.
  The only other option is to delete the child account and create another account as an adult. If we go that route, we'll have to seriously monitor her activity now, not because we don't trust her, but because we can't trust strangers.
  - spyd4r
    Protege
    1 year ago
    I would advise against this. Most people who have mentioned this, you will just lose the adult account you kid is playing with as it goes against the terms of service. Any money you spend on it will be lost.
Nicokacola
Honored Guest
2 years ago
I (Age 38) have recently purchased a Quest 3 and gave my Quest 2 to my little brother (10), my dad has a headset too and they live quite a distance from me. Acting as his Guardian, I created a child account on my headset for him so he can benefit from all the games I have too.
They have now received the headset but unable to add me as a friend, or my dad as a friend so we can all meet up in VR.
Is there as solution to this?
- Choleni
  MVP
  2 years ago
  Unfortunately his social feature is not available for child accounts.
  Look here
- Nicokacola
  Honored Guest
  2 years ago
  But I also read as a parent account I can also approve friend and manage there social settings. Its mental that he can go speak with strangers but I can not authorise friends (including myself) so we can interact in VR
  - Choleni
    MVP
    2 years ago
    Were do you read this?
    I only see something about approve apps.....maybe I overlook something?🤔
- spyd4r
  Protege
  2 years ago
  this is compeltely useless, why can my kid not add their friends account, why can I not add my kids account as a friend? the point of these accounts are to protect kids, all this will do is result in kids using parents accounts to get around this.
  
  This needs to be fixed. allow them to add friends with parent approval, this is madness.
FuNkEFrEsH82
Honored Guest
2 years ago
My kids have age 10-12 accounts in my family center. We want to play multiplayer games together but it seems like that's restricted. As their parent, is there a way I can add them and play games with them? It's very frustrating that as their parent, i'm unable to actually play, especially after buying a second headset, and going through all the trouble to set up their accounts in family center. Please someone give me a work around, or meta, please change this so parents can play with their kids.
- Choleni
  MVP
  2 years ago
  It is true that children cannot add/follow people and therefore cannot use the invite option for multiplayer games.
  But multiplayer games often also offer the option of joining with a code.
  This could be an option to play with your children.
  
  One thing to think off.....if you want play multplayer it's mostly not enough to purchase the game once, but requires to own the game on every account.
- Toastandbananas7
  Explorer
  2 years ago
  I'm also looking for a solution to this! I wish I could just add my kid as my friend!
- zoosemuscle
  Honored Guest
  2 years ago
  Like we understand yall don’t make the policy. But by default children accounts should be able to be friends with people in their family. Family can teach them how to responsibly use social features. If it’s limited to just people who are managed in a family that’s fine. But like kids 100% should be restricted for online play. Nobody doubts that.
  
  I wanna play games with my son, bought him a Quest this year for Christmas cause he’s always using mine.
  
  Please please please pass the feedback up the line to whoever makes decisions. Xbox and PlayStation family management is a very granular thing. I can turn off voice chat universally. Can manage what friends my kid has. Restrict apps on a rating or per app basis. Please look into their systems and adopt the good ideas.
Katie_1992
Honored Guest
2 years ago
My son and his friends all got a oculus quest 2 for Christmas. They was so excited to be able to play together, they are 11 year old and can't add each other? Why can't this option be added to the parental settings so we can accept or decline friends like we can do with purchases? They now have to hope they get put together in the same server when playing games!
- drdeca
  Honored Guest
  2 years ago
  To add friends to your account from your Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest, or Go: Press on your right Touch controller to pull up your universal menu. Select People. Select Search Friends.
  
  Might want to check your settings on your app could have it blocked because of the account level. If there isn't parent blocking then they should be able to do that. Merry Christmas!
spyd4r
Protege
1 year ago
So why does the OP in this combined thread now ask us to troubleshoot what version we're running? This isn't a user issue. This is a technical limitation. How the heck is this still not clear?!
yakimurosaijo
Explorer
1 year ago
Hey, I sent a PM with the info! Thanks!
Fatony
Protege
1 year ago
This situation applies to EVERY META USER. IT IS POLICY. Are you looking at changing the policy or are you looking for an answer to a problem? If you are looking for the answer, we have already found the answer. All social features are disabled for 10-12yo accounts as a policy. We are not having trouble with our headsets and there is no workaround. This affects all meta headsets and versions since it is a policy issue. I suppose this is just another example of a meta support specialist who did not read their own policies and did not bother to read the rest of this forum. Below is the policy that we are complaining about. It will not take you gathering data from us, it will take someone finally reading this entire forum and seeing how this affects our children and us, and ensuring that someone at Meta who can affect a change in policy get visibility to this.

For now, children aged 10-12 (age may vary by region) will not be able to access certain social features.
At this time, children 10-12 will not be able to:
Follow people or accept follow requests
Use chats or calls
Invite other people to meet them inside of an app, or accept travel invitations to meet other people inside of an app
Access the People tab
View the Recently Met list or People You May Know
Your child may still be able to interact with other people in apps. Apps may have social features such as messaging, voice, photo sharing, video, and the ability to meet and interact with others in the same virtual space, that could allow your child to interact with people they may not know. To learn about the social features available in an app, visit the app’s page in the Meta Quest Store or App Lab.
- ShiroTenko
  Retired Support
  1 year ago
  Hey Fatony, what I'm trying to do with this thread is gather posts and users here to raise visibility and give voice to this matter. Along with the intention of getting this whole thing looked into for everyone, but to do so, I had to ask for the requested info.
  
  I hope that this makes sense and clarifies the reason for this post.
  - yakimurosaijo
    Explorer
    1 year ago
    While I'm not opposed to giving you the needed info, I have to agree with Fatony . This post is full of people with the same issue - not being able to friend their own child/children. Not sure what difference gathering versions if the issue is the policy of completely locking down child accounts to where they can't do a whole lot.
    The fix seems to be pretty obvious: let parents manage their child's accounts and open up some social aspects, like letting the parent control the mic and whether they can make and/or receive calls. Whether or not this is already in the works remains to be seen, but it sounds like it's not and current completely-locked-down-child-account policy is all we're going to get until enough parents complain about it.
    I know software development isn't easy, especially if the backend and framework weren't initially built to allow certain things, but I still feel like the child account feature was half-baked and not thought through and should've been rolled out later when parents have a bit more control over those child accounts.
Garranicats
Honored Guest
1 year ago
Parents should be able to approve or reject follower and following requests for their 10-12 year olds.
KamikazeKnifer
Explorer
1 year ago
Same issue here. I guess I will DM you the requested info. It's beyond frustrating that I STILL can't play multiplayer with my 11 year old but she can run around listening to other kids dropping F bombs with reckless abandon.
- ShiroTenko
  Retired Support
  1 year ago
  I totally understand being able to play and monitor your child would be effective if this implementation happens. I have relayed all of the info I can, so right now I'm just waiting to hear news about it to update you all.
  
  Oh, and thank you for the DM! 😊

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Child Meta account can't add Parent/Trusted Meta account as friends.

117 Replies

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