Meta Quest Provides Virtual Reality Parental Control Solutions

Meta Quest will be providing virtual reality parental tools, which include content restriction, connected accounts to monitor activity, and lock patterns, to give parents control over their teenagers’ online activities and keep them monitored.

Users can use the unlock pattern on their Quest headsets to lock particular programs straight from VR, which helps with parental supervision. To open and activate an app that has been locked, the user must draw the unlock pattern. Parents and guardians can now use an unlock pattern to prevent children aged 13 and above from accessing games and activities they deem unsuitable.

The platform will prevent teens over the age of 13 from downloading or purchasing apps that have been rated as age-inappropriate by the International Age Rating Coalition. App bans would be overridden on an individual basis by parents. Only minors with parental monitoring mechanisms activated can request permission to bypass barriers, and parents have the option of accepting or declining each request.

As a first step in giving users more personalized control over their VR experience, the platform will expand the capability of their existing unlock pattern for Quest headsets. As an added degree of security, users can now create an unlock pattern to prevent outsiders from accessing their devices or credentials. By utilizing an unlock pattern to limit access to particular applications, parents will be able to prevent their children from accessing games and activities that they consider unsuitable for their age.

Parents will also be able to limit PC VR connections through Link and Air Link via the Parent Dashboard, as well as restrict access to select apps on their children's headsets, and check all of the apps owned by the teenager and buddy lists. The Oculus mobile app will allow parents to view headset screen time, allowing them to know how much time their child spends in VR.

The Parent Dashboard, which is available on the Oculus mobile app, will allow parents to link to their child's account via a procedure begun by the teen and requires both parties' agreement.