Meta Quest 2 gets parental supervision tools
The latest Quest 2 update brings important control features for parents. What can be done with it?
The tools were announced in March and are rolling out this week with Update 41. They were preceded by a regulatory complaint and controversy over how to protect children from harmful Metaverse content.
To unlock the Quest 2 security features, minors must first send the appropriate invitation to a parent. Once confirmed, the Facebook accounts of the child and parent are linked via the Oculus app. The tools are then available in the parent's Oculus app.
New parent supervision tools for Quest 2
From this point, the child will need to request access if they want to use apps they're not old enough to use, and parents can preemptively block certain VR apps. This also works with VR apps streamed from a PC via Oculus Link or Air Link.
Meta still states 13 as the minimum age for using the VR headset. A Facebook account can also only be opened from the age of 13.
By default, titles with a higher age rating cannot be launched with the child's account. According to Meta, the age rating of the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC), local youth protection laws, and information about the age in the Facebook account serve as the basis. Parents can manage these settings and requests of their children in the Oculus app on the smartphone - or directly with the VR headset.
Parents can also monitor screen time, look up which VR games the child owns and how long they played them in the last seven days. The friends list can also be viewed. If the child buys an app, the parents are notified.
More details, as well as instructions, are available on Meta's Parental Control Tools website.
Control functions were developed with experts
Currently, a Facebook account is required for both parents and children to use Quest 2 and the new control features. This is expected to change with the introduction of meta accounts in the near future.
The tools were developed in collaboration with experts such as Larry Magic of Connect Safely, Dr. Michael Rich of the Digital Wellness Lab, Janice Richardson of Insight SA, and Jutta Kroll of the Digital Opportunities Foundation.
Meta intends to continuously improve the tools using parent feedback and safety standards.
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