Meta urged not to give minors access to the metaverse

We are talking about access to the Horizon Worlds application, a video game in which users interact with each other using virtual reality systems in worlds where various events are held.

The letter, addressed to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, indicates that minors may face harassment and privacy violations on the app, which is only in the early stages of implementation.

"Meta must wait for more peer-reviewed research into the potential risks of the metaverse to make sure kids and teens are safe," the post reads.

The authors of the letter refer to the March report of the Digital Hate Action Center, according to which users under the age of 18 already face harassment from adults in the application. During 100 visits to the most popular virtual worlds Horizon Worlds, researchers witnessed 19 episodes of abuse of minors by adults, including sexual harassment.

The minimum age to access the Metaverse is 18. However, Meta wants to reduce it in the coming months. The company says that before the Horizon Worlds app is available to teenagers, Meta will have additional protections in place. They will help provide minors with an age-appropriate experience.

"Quest headsets are designed for people aged 13 and over, and we encourage parents and guardians to use our parental controls, including program access control, to ensure a secure experience," said Meta spokesman Joe Osborne.

As Bloomberg notes, Meta has faced widespread scrutiny about the impact of its products on the mental health of young people. In 2021, a Facebook whistleblower accused the firm of putting profit over safety and not protecting children, including teenage girls, who spend too much time on Instagram.

Research on the subject is divided, with some experts concluding that high levels of social media engagement lead to depression in minors, while others argue that there is little correlation.