Meta bans children 12 and under from Rec Room on Quest
Junior accounts on the social VR app Rec Room will be discontinued for Meta Quest (2). Children under 13 will have to play on other platforms in the future.
Rec Room is a creative mix of online social hangout and game builder. Launched in 2016, the app can be used with or without a VR headset and, as of spring 2022, had about ten times as many monthly users as Horizon Worlds, Meta Quest's competing product (2).
The ease of entry and collaborative crafting in networked online spaces attracts a young audience in particular. But children under twelve will soon no longer be allowed to play on Meta Quest (2).
No Rec Room junior accounts on Meta Quest
The rec room studio shared on Twitter that Meta will mandate the removal of junior accounts from the Quest version starting November 14, 2023.
🚨 META DEVICE PLAYERS 🚨
Meta is requiring Rec Room, and all apps on the platform to block users under 13 years of age or be removed from the Quest store. This means Junior accounts will not be supported on Meta devices starting 11/14. Visit https://t.co/6NmQB0td9o for more info— Rec Room (@recroom) November 1, 2022
The rule fits Meta's general terms of service, which state that no one under the age of 13 is allowed on the Quest platform anyway. So far, Meta has not explained why Rec Room's Junior accounts were previously available for its VR headsets anyway.
Children under the age of 13 who use a regular account on Quest run the risk of being reported by other players. An official Rec Room FAQ states, "If you suspect an account is not providing honest information about their age, please report the account so we can look into the matter." If you want a refund, Rec Room directs you to Meta.
Younger players will thus officially have to switch to other platforms where junior accounts are still accessible. The game is available for SteamVR headsets and Playstation VR, among others. The 2D version for platforms like iOS, PlayStation or Xbox has a significantly higher user number.
Junior accounts for Rec Room are technically restricted: Voice and text chat are disabled and even the crafting tools can only be used in your own private space.
In April 2022, Meta provided global parental control tools for Quest (2) that allow parents to monitor their offspring's VR consumption.
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