Experts Warn of Risks for Minors in Metaverse, Urge Company to Ban Youth from Virtual World

Safety groups and advocacy organizations are urging Meta to abandon plans to let teens use its Horizon Worlds app to access the metaverse.

Meta has said that it plans to invite young people and teens to use the platform in the coming months. Online safety organizations and professionals advised the CEO of Meta in a letter dated April 14 to drop these plans. This is due to worries that young people may be subject to harassment and privacy violations on the virtual reality app.

Meta Urged to Halt Plans Allowing Minors Into the Metaverse https://t.co/te54FkRAAp

— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) April 14, 2023

According to Bloomberg, several significant safety organizations, including Airplay, Common Sense Media, and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, signed the letter. The activists stated that Meta should carefully evaluate any hazards associated before providing kids access to the metaverse.

The Report of Meta

In a report published in March, the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that adults were singling out adolescents using the app. These adolescents experienced different sorts of abuse, including sexual harassment. The most popular planets in the Horizon Universe received 100 visits while recording 19 cases of abuse.

Hence, in order to safeguard children in its metaverse project, Meta has been urged by safety experts. Failing to do so would further expose the business’ lack of concern for protecting children. Despite this, Meta has made it clear that it won’t give up on its plans for children in the metaverse and will instead take extra precautions to avoid infractions.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time Meta has come under fire for its proposals to let children access the metaverse. Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal earlier asked the company to rethink its choice to allow kids between 13 and 17 to use the service.

The featured image is from rte.ie