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

[Zenbane]

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-servic...

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.

[Shadowmask72]

Just remember that all your actions are being recorded, so when someone does make a complaint against you, the mods can see exactly how you acted and ban yer ass. Good to see Facebook, taking Virtual Reality virtually the same as reality.  Hmmm dunno, seems a bit too dystopian to me.

Mike said: Kevin trod on my sand-castle and totally destroyed it. Wahhhh!!!

Sandra said: Why not report him to the mods?

Mike said: Great idea! *sobs*

Mod looks at footage and listens to audio feed

Kevin gets banned!

 😛 

[Luciferous]

The more I hear the more I’m glad the G2 is on its way ☹️

[Zenbane]

I may very well be ordering a G2 as well, but I have no regrets with Quest 2. It already has a strong userbase. Just walking around the new Venues area and seeing all the new people socializing was really fantastic.

The real problems only occur when total strangers begin interacting. But that's just like any other place. Hell I've been in bar fights because someone violated my personal space lol

So with Oculus VR and Facebook having this "marriage," people just need to stick to their own social circles. Hang out in VR with your family and friends. Don't run around getting in to rivalries with randomers.

Or in other words... act like you would in a real life social setting. I look forward to seeing how all this plays out over the next 12 months. And I sure as hell hope I don't end up banned! I have to admit, it feels odd reading all these "ban events" over the last few weeks... and knowing that the conversation is about someone other than me. whew!
 😛 

[saami81]

Some apps/games have option for personal bubble, so no one can come into skin. I think that would be better option, than banning. Also i have heard rumours about something called "mute" and "ignore". People can use those, if they get easily offended.

[DaftnDirect]

I spent about an hour in Venues watching the Connect presentation whilst the entire time someone was jumping around the viewing area waving in people's faces and doing the confetti thing.

It was interesting to watch just to see how people reacted but I assume complaints are already shaping Facebook's policies. I think there will always be two groups of people, one group who want a better experience and another who want less or no oversight.

I think I'm in the former.

[Luciferous]

I was just thinking of my previous issue with my Son using my headset while I was out and getting the warning. I think people with Kids are going to need a Helmet Chastity belt if they don't want a ban 🙂 

Invading peoples spaces, rude signs and acting like a jerk would probably get most people banned if the behavior is anything like a typical day in Rec Room land.

Also fancy buying your kid a Quest 2 for Christmas and 10 games only to find out on day 2 its now a brick because he was acting like any teenager often does. 

[RuneSR2]

Main problem by Facebook being able to perform what I'd call "Capital Punishment" on users by completely removing access to their hardware and software is that we're not getting same laws like in the real world. You may get severely punished for something you really didn't do - and you can complain to no one, or might be given a sentence based on some (young, uneducated, low-paid) supporter's quick evaluation of "evidence" (or the bots). Facebook (or bots) will now be in charge of all the power of police, courts and corrections.  

I'm a big fan of Dredd in movies and comic books, but getting a life sentence "that cannot be reversed" without any kind of fair trial is not a development I appreciate in the real world (or inside VR worlds). 

[OmegaM4N]

^^^Maybe on the box the need to add in big wording " FB accounts may be banned at random without prior notice or reason"...........but  i will give FB their due, when they want to shoot themselves publically in the foot they are masters at it. lol

[kojack]

They really need a system with escalating levels, such as temporary bans that increase in length with each infraction, or maybe removal from certain games only if they have a more kid friendly intention. Like Rec Room has a lower threshold for bans than Onward, and VR Chat is just the wild west.