Meta Platforms Inc has begun rolling out several changes for supervision tools across its Quest 2 product lineup of headsets, the company announced in a blog post on Tuesday.
The firm has issued changes to options available on its Parent Dashboard, where adults supervising children can access the following:
- Approve app downloading or purchasing blocked, depending on IARC ratings. Teens aged 13 and over can notify parents of purchases by submitting “Ask to Buy” requests, where parents can later authorise or block requests on their Oculus mobile apps
- Block inappropriate apps and prevent them from launching, including across web browsers and those available at the Quest Store
- Guardians can also view all of apps their children and teens own, as well as receive “purchase notifications” to inform of subsequent purchases
- Parents can also monitor their child’s screen time and list of friends on the Oculus app
- Block Link and Air Link options to lock children out from accessing their Quest content
- Mutual agreement to initiate new features between parent and child
The news comes as the Menlo Park-based firm launches its Parent education hub to inform people of updated ConnectSafely tools used to supervise and inform parents and children of VR guidelines.
The edits were included in version 41 (v41), which will enhance its Worlds as well as Horizon Home, to add the fresh parental controls and educational safety demos, the firm revealed on Tuesday.
Meta has also begun rolling out new VR tools to protect users while using its Horizon Worlds immersive communications platform following several incidences of virtual harassment.
Meta’s updates were issued as the platform rolls out across the United Kingdom, just months after it launched across the United States and Canada.
The company also pledged additional measures to protect user’s online safety after a young woman was allegedly exposed to harmful content, leading to her death and resulting in public outcry from shareholders and concerned parents.
