Meta Quest encourages everyone to double-check their age. Here’s why

Meta, the parent company of Oculus, has introduced a new age verification protocol for the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 headsets. This process will ensure that each user’s account is age-appropriate. Users are prompted on their headsets to enter their date of birth and then briefly set their privacy settings.

Meta adds age verification to Quest headphones to deliver age-appropriate content to teens

When this prompt appears, Meta says users will have thirty days to enter their date of birth. If this is not done within this time frame, the company will block their account until the information is provided. However, Meta confirms that only users who have verified their age in their account settings can see someone else’s birthday.

The company’s decision to include this age verification system is a step towards greater safety by keeping things appropriate for different age groups in the VR ecosystem. By accurately recording ages from now on, Meta plans to allow developers to catalog apps suitable for teens, tweens and adults.

Therefore, parents should trust that what their children access online meets these standards. Last summer, Meta also unveiled a new type of account specifically tailored to teenagers aged 10 to 12, after lowering the minimum usage requirement from thirteen.

For tighter privacy and content settings, parental control over app downloads and installs and app/game blocking are also possible. In addition, Meta offers teen accounts. They are initially private and can be managed by parents, although they are slightly less restrictive than teen accounts.

The Age Group API will help developers tailor VR apps based on age

Adult accounts can be set to public or private, but are public by default. However, these settings may change after the initial setup. To facilitate compliance and privacy, Meta’s User Age Group API allows developers to tailor in-app adjustments based on the age of target individuals.

The introduction of the age verification prompt reflects Meta’s ongoing commitment to making VR safe and enjoyable for people of all ages. As such, Meta aims to promote responsible use with a personalized experience that puts user safety first.