Introducing Meta Accounts: A New Login for VR

[Ryanality]

Coming in August 2022, we’ll begin rolling out Meta accounts, a new way for people to log into their VR headsets that doesn’t require a Facebook account. 

Your Meta account is not a social media profile; it lets you log into your VR devices and view and manage your purchased apps in one place. You can also add your Meta account to the same Accounts Center as your Facebook or Instagram account to unlock connected experiences across Meta technologies — like finding your Facebook friends to play games with in VR or chatting with friends on Messenger. 

To learn more, check out our blog post.

 

[Bendit74]

Great! Good move.

[Svengali1701]

What happens if we don't agree to the updated terms?

Having bought the device in good faith according to the terms as they existed at the time, you can't change the terms and require us to accept them or to stop using the device without some kind of compensation; that's not legal under contract law in the UK.

[MrBluePlaydoh]

Looks like i got 5 months to sale my VR headset and get maybe a Valve GG oculus.

[GuernseyMan]

Good news. I'll need to read the t&c carefully but there's now an outside chance I won't get rid of my Rift before the end of the year.

[killtires616]

And your still asking for all of our personal information to just play video games. Like why

[Lethal_Aims]

Presumably owners of older Oculus devices like the Rift and Rift S will be able to return their headsets for a full refund in January 2023 when you close down Oculus accounts.

Surely nobody believes Facebook will maintain separate data universes for Meta and Facebook.

[synchromesh62]

Just saw the announcement on my Headset. 

Great News and sooner than i thought.

[edmg]

Thank you. Now I'll finally be able to upgrade to a Quest 2.

[RauelRualbe]

You say a Meta account is not a social media profile but it requires registration on the horizons social media platform making that an obviously dishonest statement unless I have been misled about an Horizons account being mandatory?

I need to know whether I will be able to use my original Quest headset privately, privately play the games I have purchased on that headset without being a member of any of your social platforms?

With the possible exception of IP I have no problem with your company having my private information or activity while using the headset but I have no interest in social VR or multiplayer games.

Further having completed studies at university including law and ethics for health professionals which inform me that aspects of the social platform being created will have negative psychological effects on the people using it I can not in good conscience be seen to support it.

[TomCgcmfc]

Does not matter what you do, some people will always find a way to complain, lol!  Seems like a good move to me.

[GuernseyMan]

Facebook/Meta/Instagram/WhatsApp etc have a history of lying to their users, selling personal data and manipulating public opinion. Don't be surprised when people are sceptical about anything to do with them.

I have a number of single player games, that I paid for, together with a VR headset, that I also paid for. I can't use either unless I sign up for a, poorly disguised, social media account. I gave up using social media years ago as it is not good for anyone's mental well-being and I resent being forced back into it to use what is basically a toy.

[Lethal_Aims]

Please can Oculus clarify these apparently contradictory statements.

---

@Ryanality wrote:

Your Meta account is not a social media profile

---

https://www.oculus.com/blog/meta-accounts/

After you finish creating a Meta account, you’ll be prompted to create a Meta Horizon profile, which replaces your Oculus profile. Your Meta Horizon profile is your social profile in VR and other surfaces, like the web.

---

Is it mandatory to have a Meta Horizon profile, or can you decline/skip this step after creating a Meta account? If the profile is mandatory then it is misleading to say the account is not a profile.

[TomCgcmfc]

@Lethal_Aims  Please give us break and wait until next month when they come into effect  lol!

[GuernseyMan]

It's a valid question and I would also like to know the answer. If you're not concerned with your personal data/privacy that's fine, please don't ridicule people who are.

Companies like Meta have not been taken to task for their misleading representations enough and look at the state of the industry as a result.

[TomCgcmfc]

@GuernseyMan  Sorry but I didn't mean to ridicule anyone.  While there are never any stupid questions, much of what is being asked is already spelt out in the Meta Blog t+c.  I think further details will be much clearer when the process starts up next month.   At least you have till the end of this year so it's not something you need to immediately jump into.  Cheers.

[RauelRualbe]

Yeh wait until it's to late. That's always a great idea?

[RauelRualbe]

Haven't actually had much luck getting a look at those terms and conditions as it appears I can not access them without a Facebook account?

Personally I want clarification before I am forced into agreeing to something without having the time tp examine whether that is a good idea.

I can not see how giving a company permission to arbitrarily render hardware you legally own useless could be a good idea?

It seems a pretty serious concern to me that compulsory social platform accounts make it possible for them to do this if you agree to it?

The fact that they seem to be declaring that they will disable access to your game library and the functionality of your headset if you don't give them permission to do that doesn't exactly inspire confidence either?

A few years ago I would have been certain the behavior is illegal but the last government cycle saw consumer rights seriously eroded here. Thus we have a new government now.

[Lethal_Aims]

On @TomCgcmfc advice I re-read the blog article and found the following.

---

If you’ve been logging into your VR device with your Oculus account, you can continue to do so until January 1, 2023, at which point you’ll need to create a Meta account and Meta Horizon profile to continue using your Meta VR device.

---

Sounds to me like the public social profile is mandatory. This Facebook link details all the personal data Meta will store and could potentially share with third-parties.

https://store.facebook.com/gb/legal/quest/updated-privacy-policy/

The information collected in your use of Meta technology will be used to:

---

To power social features and personalise and promote content

Stating a Meta account is not a social media profile is at best misleading. Given Facebook's history of personal data privacy abuse you would think they would be a little more honest and transparent about these major changes for Oculus users.

[Nimarus]

The whole "You have to join Facebook" caused me to completely abandon my Oculus Rift. It's been collecting dust for nearly a year. Why spend my hard-earned money on a game library I'm going to be locked out of in about a year? I'm still not a fan of the Meta Account, but at least I'll be able to keep my library and not enslave myself to the cancer that is Facebook. Just don't expect any real personal info for my Meta account.

[RauelRualbe]

I spoke with several people by reopening an old Oculus ticket and have been repeatedly assured that their is no obligation to join any form of social platform if you do not require social interaction. I really pushed it to make certain there was no misunderstanding, no grey area. It will apparently be pretty much the same as it is using an Oculus account now.

[MonkeyMagic77]

Any indication of when this will be going live? I have a new Quest 2 and an oculus account and I would like to get started using it. I noticed the price hike happened overnight and thankfully purchased before that happened.

[DriftKing090]

Monday 1 august, still need FB account?

[Zwenkwiel]

same here, Meta Account when?! 
Also can't I just make some BS FB account and then de-couple it when Meta accounts arrive?! cuz I mainly wanna use it for PCVR and don't really have to buy games for the quest 2 itself right away...

[Zwenkwiel]

yep, go to the app to register my new quest 2 and facebook is the only option. (already logged in with this occulus account but that's not enough for quest 2)

[Buetigame]

Just wait for tuesday...

And maybe it's smart to wait a little longer 😉

[Alogan2013]

Hello, 

just curious, it was said that the new Meta sign in for Iculis quest was going to be rolled in August without the need for a Facebook account, we’ll it is August 10 and last I check Oculus Quest 2 is still asking me to create a Facebook account to sign in on the platform.

any idea when the new nonFacebook sign OBS are coming in effect?

thank you

[SwooshStackz]

Meta, one platform to rule them all! I think replacing Facebook with a meta account login requirement is a splendid idea that I support seven fold!!! Very good strategic master mind of an idea and I thank you very much!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

So it's 12th of August and still nothing... Any news when and how? I reda all the blog info, rules. Everything no infromation how. And when i tryed create new acc it says I need facebook. 

[TomCgcmfc]

@Anonymous  A little birdie told me end of next week.

[crazy25000]

Would've been nice to have the correct date in the blog post. I bought a new quest 2 last week because I thought FB was no longer required. Unnecessary frustration.

[vax4]

Bonjour, 

j'ai acheté un Quest 2 256Go début Août,  toujours en attente de l'application de l'annonce . J'ai donc créé en un compte Facebook à usage unique qui sera supprimé par la suite. Pour l'instant,  aucun achat de jeu , bien évidemment . Un responsable Facebook pourrait-il nous en dire ce qu'il en est ? 

[Stephen.Hodgson]

Also waiting for Meta account rollout.

[boogles]

Any updates on when Meta accounts are rolling out? @Ryanality 

[Buetigame]

Where is your problem guys and gals?

The new v43 update is on it's way, which is the base for the account switch.

Things take time und August hasn't passed - so calm down and be patient.

[GuernseyMan]

I think people are eager to see exactly what this entails. Personally the proof of the pudding is in what information I'm required to provide.

I'm expecting to give Meta the bare minimum to allow me to use the hardware; name, address and payment details. That's what should happen if it's "not a social media account" as we've been told.

It will also be nice to be able to properly review the EULA/privacy statement although the Company doesn't have a great track record of abiding by its own rules.

Anything else and I'm afraid it's goodbye Meta, hello HTC.

[boogles]

That’s exactly where I’m at @GuernseyMan . I’ve had an Oculus account since I bought my DK2, and I was extremely annoyed to find that I cannot login using my Oculus account on the Quest 2.

I no longer have a Facebook account and will not sign up for one as I do not want the games I have paid for to disappear overnight due to inactivity or some other arbitrary and irrevocable judgement by their mod team. So the Meta login appears to be the only way for me to enjoy the hardware I have just purchased, which I had been hoping would be the next great thing from Oculus.

I’m just eager to play using my device, so any specific updates on when I can actually do that from support would be appreciated. It sounds like it could be “late August” now, so I guess that means I should assume August 31st. 😞

[vax4]

Bonsoir , 

je vais parti de ceux qui ont acheter un Quest 2 suite a la possibilité de ne plus avoir besoin de compte Facebook pour l'utiliser 😉 . Le communiqué sur l'annonce de la mise à jour v43 nous donne des nouvelles sur cette mise en place , qui est complexe car pour ceux qui ont acheté des jeux , des paramétrages liés avec leurs comptes Facebook , il faut bien reconnaitre que la tache est énorme et complexe .

Pour l'instant , j'ai crée un compte Facebook , on peut le paramétrer de façon a être totalement transparent . Par prudence , je n'effectue aucun achat pour l'instant car mon compte Facebook sera supprimé , une fois mon compte Méta crée 👌. J'attends les prochaines étapes et merci de nous avoir donné des nouvelles 👍. 

[Buetigame]

Just try to connect the Q2 with an Oculus-Account.

For me it works now with recent Oculus mobile app.

(didn't try a factory reset for now - just to be "safe")

The "workaround", which was used before, also stops working.
I can tell which way the wind is blowing 😉

[Buetigame]

Your facebook account won't be deleted...
It will be disconnected and your property switches to the new meta account.

But yes, this is a complex procedure for sure!

[Zwenkwiel]

so how exactly does one do this procedure? like I'm on the new firmware (v43 or something) but I'm still signed in with facebook as usual and don't see any option to create a meta account anywhere :S

do I just sign out and create a new account or something?

[Buetigame]

You'll get a message from Oculus, when they're ready for you.

Look at the picture in the linked blog by RyanS.

Just wait and stay tuned 😉

[Fazz]

I'm not sure what you mean by this. Are you saying that after creating a meta account that you don't have to create an Horizon VR social account? You can just create a meta account and continue to use your Oculus account games?

Here's something that's bugging me. Everytime I login to this forum it asks me link my Oculus account to a meta account, but I'm not sure if to do this incase it's going to create a Facebook account. After doing some refreshing of the page, it then just lets me login with my old Oculus account.

[Lethal_Aims]

The article linked by the community manager states otherwise and contradicts what @RauelRualbe was told.

The blog states, "you’ll need to create a Meta account and Meta Horizon profile to continue using your Meta VR device" and also, "Your Meta Horizon profile is your social profile in VR and other surfaces, like the web".

Sounds to me the the requirement for a mandatory public social profile is being disguised by sneaky semantics. Oculus representatives who are stating that Meta account is not a social media profile are at best being misleading.

[GuernseyMan]

You must be mistaken. I can't imagine Facebook/Meta misleading anyone 😀

[Fazz]

@Lethal_Aims -Yes, it is very misleading and needs clearing up. Does this @Ryanality not comment here on such matters and clear them up? I've seen a few people ask him things in this post and he doesn't respond to them.

[Buetigame]

Misleading are all the speculations in these forums 😞

You'll migrate your former account (FB or Oculus) to a Meta account.

This isn't "public" and contain all your devices, games and so on...

Afer that you need to create a horizon profile, wich is the social part of your account.

It's up to you, to get this "public" or not... not visibile to anyone.

Optional you may link this social part  to other socicl accounts like Instagramm or Facebook.

This is also up to you.

So where is your problem?

[Lethal_Aims]

The problem is the company reps don't say that. They say the new account is not a social media profile and there is no obligation to join any form of social platform. If the Horizon profile was optional then that would be true and people who don't want that aspect could just use their headsets.

[GuernseyMan]

My problem, as with others on this forum, is that it's irrelevant whether it's visible or not. If I'm required to set up a social media account, which I am, then that data will be mined and will be sold. That's how Meta makes money, by selling your personal information for marketing purposes.

Depending on what I see when I'm forced to create this account I will either complete it leaving everything blank or, if that's not an option; binning my aging Rift and buying from another supplier (HTC looks really good). I have to make a decision at that point as to how much my privacy is worth to me.

It's the 21st century and this is how it is. I would be naive to think that Meta/Facebook just "gave up" my data when I deleted my Facebook account. When I bought my Rift originally I specifically didn't link the accounts but I did use the same email address. Within hours my Facebook feed had considerably more "VR related stuff" than I had ever seen before. Probably just a coincidence.

And if you think I just have an axe to grind with Meta; I also think very little of Google, Microsoft and Apple!

[Buetigame]

If you are connected to the internet, your "privacy" ist lost.

Visit a website and your data will be collected and - of course - used.

What do you think Steam does with your data? Or the publisher of the games you play?

Also Microsoft, Apple, Google and any gaming plattform like EA, Ubisoft, Epic and any social plattform like Twitter or Twitch.

Sorry, if services are used, data will be collected... and "they" use it, making money with it.

Razor

[Lethal_Aims]

Visit a website and your data will be collected. Most likely by Facebook, even if you don’t have a Facebook account. Why would you want to voluntarily give them more personal data?

Whilst other services may collect data, they haven’t infringed privacy to such a massive scale that they have been called to testify to the Senate.