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Zenbane
Honored Contributor
October 15, 2020
Question

New VR Behavior Policy: Do not invade someone's personal space!

  • October 15, 2020
  • 68 replies
  • 12293 views
Facebook's VR use policy was updated recently, and now includes information about invading personal space, and other types of improper gestures.

https://support.oculus.com/1694069410806625/
Facebook’s newly updated ‘Conduct in VR Policy‘ highlights that you should not “harass or bully other users” by “invading personal space without consent,” nor should you “conduct yourself in an offensive or abusive way,” including making “sexual gestures.”

Repeated of flagrant abuses of the rules can result in suspensions or outright bans, which fully revoke your ability to use your headset. These rules apply in everything you do in the headset, whether you’re playing a social VR experience, a competitive multiplayer VR game, or even streaming a single player experience for others to watch on Facebook Live.
https://www.roadtovr.com/facebook-expanded-vr-policies-oculus-quest-2-privacy-policy-terms-of-service/

No doubt that this will only add fuel to the fires currently burning around the controversy between:
  • Banned from a Social Media Service
  • Banned from using a piece of Hardware you purchased

I agree that this is very problematic. I would personally be upset if Facebook banned my Account and tried to lock me out of my headset. But I also have a fairly strong sense of the types of behavior and should and should not be doing when interacting with others. And considering that I am far from a model student for "good behavior," I still can't help but wonder what types of things truly trigger a Facebook ban, outside of blatantly obvious rule violations. Until this ban/lockout happens to me, though, I feel like I don't have much of a dog in this fight.

What does interest me from all of this... is that "convergence" of VR and Real Life. At this stage, Oculus VR is being treated like a "real world." And violating rules, much like violating Laws, is having real consequences that can limit ones freedoms. When I set aside the moral dilemma around Consumer Rights, I can't help but thing... wow! How far we have come with technology.

With a ban from Oculus VR, not only are you prevented from using a product, but you are no longer allowed to "exist" in a Social Space that goes beyond a mere flat screen. That's kinda crazy, and gives a small glimpse of the future for humanity, virtual worlds, and Artificial Intelligence.

    68 replies

    nalex66
    Honored Contributor
    October 16, 2020
    "Freedom" isn't the right to do whatever you want with no consequences, though. What happens if your freedom infringes on someone else's freedom? Whenever you're in a shared space with other people, in any context, there are always some rules of behaviour. They may vary depending on the venue, but rarely are you free to be a total asshat around other people without some risk of being held to account for your actions.
    DK2, CV1, Go, Quest, Quest 2, Quest 3. Try my game: Cyclops Island Demo
    Inspiring
    October 16, 2020

    RedRizla said:

    A@nalex66 chance of me using Oculus VR and ask Facebook not to invade my personal space by tracking me :p

    @Luciferous -I think they just mean this for Horizons, but it is strange that they haven't said what app or game this applies to. I have to say though, it would be hilarious hearing of someone getting banned because they had invaded someone's personal space in Onward.


    @RedRizla Yeah pretty vague right, think they would have nailed this down before forcing people into Facebook accounts.

    @DaftnDirect Is it the end of the world? No not for me I am pulling the parachute chord.
    Zenbane
    ZenbaneAuthor
    Honored Contributor
    October 16, 2020

    RedRizla said:

    Any chance of me using Oculus VR and ask Facebook not to invade my personal space by tracking me 



    You actually have control over this yourself. One example would be to avoid posting on Facebook platforms. Users do have a lot of control over what and how gets tracked with their online usage. Few users actually take advantage of that though.
    Honored Contributor
    October 16, 2020

    Zenbane said:


    RedRizla said:

    Any chance of me using Oculus VR and ask Facebook not to invade my personal space by tracking me 



    You actually have control over this yourself. One example would be to avoid posting on Facebook platforms. Users do have a lot of control over what and how gets tracked with their online usage. Few users actually take advantage of that though.



    Another way is getting apps for you browser. With Ublock Origin you can actually block Facebook.com on this Oculus forum if you want. Facebook.com comes up on UBlock Origin as one of the trackers working away in the background, but if you block it you are still able to use the Oculus forum.

    https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock#ublock-origin
    Zenbane
    ZenbaneAuthor
    Honored Contributor
    October 16, 2020

    RedRizla said:


    Zenbane said:


    RedRizla said:

    Any chance of me using Oculus VR and ask Facebook not to invade my personal space by tracking me 



    You actually have control over this yourself. One example would be to avoid posting on Facebook platforms. Users do have a lot of control over what and how gets tracked with their online usage. Few users actually take advantage of that though.



    Another way is getting apps for you browser. With Ublock Origin you can actually block Facebook.com on this Oculus forum if you want. Facebook.com comes up on UBlock Origin as one of the trackers working away in the background, but if you block it you are still able to use the Oculus forum.

    https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock#ublock-origin



    You still have to log in to the forum. That account information is stored in a DB, as well as all the posts made on that account. This gets used as metadata for Facebook, and is part of their information sharing and collection gathering. Which is how they make money. It does not good to use something like UBlock if you're still going to log in the the platform that you're trying to block. 
    Honored Contributor
    October 16, 2020
    This reminds me of Ready Player One......and Facebook is quickly turning into the evil IOI corp.
    Participant
    October 16, 2020
    per·son·al space
    noun
    noun: personal space
    the physical space immediately surrounding someone, into which any encroachment feels threatening to or uncomfortable for them.

    Zenbane
    ZenbaneAuthor
    Honored Contributor
    October 16, 2020

    j1c9h85 said:

    per·son·al space
    noun
    noun: personal space
    the physical space immediately surrounding someone, into which any encroachment feels threatening to or uncomfortable for them.




    What defines a "physical space" though? Our brains ability to perceive something as "real"? In that case... VR spaces can most certainly apply!


    Inspiring
    October 16, 2020
    A personal space is the space between you and your God, be that money, wealth, excess, food, stuff, jesus, Allah, buddha, etc. Outside of that space is the big brother or big sister watching and lording over little brother or sister. Like the temptation of christ portrays.
    Up and Coming
    October 17, 2020


    This is a more nuanced issue than many people want to make it. 

    One issue is that when you are not physically near someone, there is a reduction in inhibition, meaning people say and do things in cyberspace that they would never do if someone was there or even if the other person just knew their actual identity.

    I know some people say that they should be able to say and do what they want. But it doesn't make me a prude just because I don't want to hear profanity or have someone simulate sex acts in front of me.

    Perhaps we need spaces that have ratings, like "This Area Rated 'R' parental supervision suggested." Then you could also implement parental controls to keep your kids out of areas where people could be doing things that you don't like.

    On the other hand, I wasn't a fan of Apple's decision that nothing naughty could be on Apple App stores. People should be allowed to do what they want if it is legal, even if it would be offensive to other people. However, people who don't want to be exposed to certain things should not be forced to see them if they don't want to.


    Well said , people seem to think that just because they want something a certain way than it must be done , the fact is if your quest 2 gets blocked because of your facebook account you have 30 days from purchase to get your money back so whats the problem really ?. 
    Personally if facebook block mine i would just never purchase from them again . But i do think permaban for 1 event shouldnt happen , 3 events for permaban i think is fair ..... that way if your child plays up with your hmd you at least make sure it doest happen again.
    But for me i'm glad there's is a way to ban people for bad behaviour , society has laws for a reason .
    I dont want to be bullied i dont want to be exposed to homopohobic slurs , racial slurs , tell me does any one deserve to be ?