The age change for the Quest headset comes as building a virtual reality-based version of the metaverse has become crucial to Meta’s future. Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s founder and chief executive, has spent the past two years shifting his social networking business to the metaverse. Last year, he spent nearly $14 billion to expand Reality Labs, the company’s arm that is devoted to building hardware and developing the metaverse.
The high costs of trying to turn the metaverse into a mainstream business have spooked Wall Street, causing Meta’s stock to plunge last year. Enthusiasm for the metaverse has also waned over the past year, as more technologists have flocked to the rise of artificial intelligence with the release of chatbots like ChatGPT. Mr. Zuckerberg has similarly pushed to incorporate A.I. into Meta’s products.
But he has also said he remains intent on the metaverse. In a companywide meeting last week, Mr. Zuckerberg assured employees that he was committed to his virtual reality and augmented reality plans and that it would be a long haul toward realizing his vision.
Lowering the minimum age requirements for the company’s Quest headset could help familiarize younger audiences with the metaverse, similar to how Facebook initially started on college campuses in 2004, so that they would be more likely to continue using the technology as they grow up.
Meta is likely seeking to integrate itself into young peoples’ lives, following a strategy used by other gaming companies, including Roblox, Microsoft with its Minecraft game, and Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite. Those games have a combined user base in the hundreds of millions, many of whom are under the age of 35.
“What we have seen is Meta, based solely on business imperatives, continually lowering the age of their virtual reality products and doing so without any evidence that these things are safe for young people,” said Josh Golin, the executive director of Fairplay, a nonprofit children’s advocacy group. “It’s beyond the pale and clearly driven by the fact that they are trying to compete for a market, not driven by kids’ needs.”
Meta is working to assure regulators that it will provide parental controls to keep young users safe when using the device, said the two people with knowledge of the company’s plans who spoke on condition of anonymity. Some of those include time limits, parent-managed controls over content or apps and privacy settings that will not allow other people using Horizon Worlds the ability to follow preteens without approval from them or their parents.
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has announced a significant change to the age requirements for its Quest virtual reality headset. The decision comes as Meta places a great deal of importance on building a virtual reality-based version of the metaverse for its future success. Over the past two years, Meta’s founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has been steering the company’s focus towards the metaverse, leading to substantial investments in Reality Labs, the division responsible for hardware development and metaverse creation, with an expenditure of nearly $14 billion last year.
However, the pursuit of turning the metaverse into a profitable venture has alarmed investors on Wall Street, resulting in a decline in Meta’s stock value last year. Moreover, the initial enthusiasm for the metaverse has somewhat diminished as the tech community has shown increased interest in artificial intelligence, demonstrated by the popularity of chatbots like ChatGPT. Responding to this shift, Mr. Zuckerberg has also been keen on integrating AI into Meta’s product offerings.
Despite these factors, Mr. Zuckerberg remains resolute in his commitment to the metaverse. In a recent companywide meeting, he reassured employees that he is dedicated to his vision for virtual and augmented reality and acknowledged that it would be a long journey to achieve it.
By lowering the minimum age requirements for the Quest headset, Meta aims to introduce younger audiences to the metaverse, drawing a parallel to Facebook’s early days when it initially gained traction on college campuses in 2004. The goal is to familiarize younger users with the technology early on, increasing the likelihood of their continued engagement as they mature.
Following a strategy employed by other gaming companies like Roblox, Microsoft with Minecraft, and Epic Games with Fortnite, Meta seeks to embed itself into the lives of young people. These games boast user bases in the hundreds of millions, with a substantial portion under the age of 35.
However, critics have voiced concerns about Meta’s decision. Josh Golin, executive director of Fairplay, a nonprofit children’s advocacy group, commented, “What we have seen is Meta, based solely on business imperatives, continually lowering the age of their virtual reality products and doing so without any evidence that these things are safe for young people. It’s beyond the pale and clearly driven by the fact that they are trying to compete for a market, not driven by kids’ needs.”
To address these concerns, Meta is working to assure regulators that the Quest headset will incorporate parental controls to ensure the safety of young users. These controls may include features such as time limits, parent-managed content and app controls, and privacy settings within Horizon Worlds that prevent preteens from being followed without their or their parents’ consent, according to anonymous sources familiar with Meta’s plans.
Meta’s decision to lower the age requirements for the Quest headset reflects the company’s determination to establish a presence in the metaverse and capture the interest of younger generations. While some raise concerns about the safety implications for children, Meta intends to address these issues through robust parental controls. The evolution of the metaverse and its impact on society will undoubtedly continue to be a topic of interest and scrutiny in the years to come.