The problem of children in VR spaces
I am submitting feedback regarding age-access policies for immersive social VR platforms, including Meta Horizon Worlds and similar social VR environments.
I believe Meta should reconsider allowing very young children to freely access general-purpose social VR spaces. Virtual reality is fundamentally different from traditional social media because it creates an immersive, real-time environment involving voice communication, avatars, spatial interaction, and user-generated communities.
General social VR environments should, in my opinion, have a minimum age of at least 15 or 16. This would not prevent younger children from using age-appropriate games, educational experiences, or specifically designed child-friendly VR spaces. Instead, it would create a clearer distinction between child-oriented environments and open social spaces intended for older teenagers and adults.
Allowing very young children into general social VR spaces can negatively affect the privacy, comfort, culture, and expectations of older users. It also creates complicated moderation issues when adults and older teenagers unknowingly interact with children in immersive environments.
I respectfully urge Meta to consider stronger age segmentation for social VR, including separate child, teen, and adult-oriented spaces, along with more meaningful age verification and access controls.
The future of virtual reality will be shaped by the policies established today. Social VR should not be treated exactly like traditional social media. Its immersive nature requires a more thoughtful approach to age restrictions and user separation.