Meta's VR app, Horizon Worlds, now available for teens, sparks US lawmakers' protests
Meta, the social media giant formerly known as Facebook, is moving forward with plans to expand its virtual reality app, Horizon Worlds, to teenagers in the United States and Canada, despite objections from lawmakers and civil society groups. The move comes as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pushes to develop a next-generation internet, where users can physically interact with each other in virtual spaces resembling real life.
The app, which is currently only available to users above the age of 17, will soon be accessible to children as young as 13, offering them the chance to explore immersive worlds, play games, attend concerts and comedy events, connect with others from around the world, and create their own virtual experiences.
Meta's expansion is an attempt to capture early adopters in a key demographic, but has sparked criticism from lawmakers who have pleaded with the company to postpone its plans. Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal called Meta's move "despicable," accusing the company of attempting to lure young teens to Horizon Worlds in an attempt to boost its failing platform. Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markey echoed the concerns, accusing Meta of "inviting digital disaster" by exposing young users to new privacy risks, unfair and deceptive marketing, and abuse or bullying.
Civil society groups have also expressed concerns about Meta's VR offerings, arguing that the technology could have unintended consequences for mental health. They warn that the collection of biometric and other data, combined with the potential for abuse and bullying, could harm young users.
Despite the objections, Meta has pledged to provide protective guardrails, such as default settings to make teenage users' profiles and activity less visible to other users, and content ratings for potentially mature virtual spaces. The company says that its safety controls were developed with input from parents and online safety experts.
Meta's announcement comes as other US government officials are stepping up scrutiny of social media's potential effects on mental health. The Federal Trade Commission is "actively working" on hiring in-house psychologists to address concerns linking social media use to teen mental health harms. FTC commissioner Alvaro Bedoya says that there is evidence that some uses of social media do, in fact, hurt certain groups of teenagers and children, though he cautions that there are important nuances and caveats in the research.
While Meta's move to expand Horizon Worlds to teenagers has sparked controversy, the company remains committed to developing VR technology as a key part of its business. In recent years, Meta has invested billions in developing VR hardware and software, despite scaling back significantly in other parts of its business. The company spent nearly $16 billion in its Reality Labs segment last year alone and has warned investors not to expect profitability from that unit anytime soon. As Meta continues to pursue its vision for a next-generation internet, it remains to be seen whether the company can address concerns about the potential unintended consequences of its VR offerings.
The article discusses Meta's plans to expand its virtual reality app, Horizon Worlds, to teenagers aged 13 and above in Canada and the United States. Horizon Worlds is a virtual reality app that allows users to interact with each other in virtual spaces that resemble real life. The app already has a user base of individuals above the age of 17, but the expansion reflects Meta's attempt to capture early adopters in a key demographic.
Despite Meta's claims that it has put safety controls in place to protect teenagers, lawmakers and civil society groups have voiced their concerns about the possible unintended consequences of allowing young users to access the app. They fear that the technology could have a negative impact on mental health and expose users to new privacy risks through the collection of biometric and other data.
The concerns of lawmakers and civil society groups are not unfounded, as several studies have linked social media use to negative effects on mental health, particularly among young people. The Federal Trade Commission is currently working on hiring in-house psychologists to address these concerns and understand the available scientific evidence on the matter.
Meta has a record of abject failure to protect children and teens, according to lawmakers, and they accuse the company of putting young users at risk to make more money. Meta has spent billions developing VR hardware and software, even as it has scaled back significantly in other parts of its business, such as reducing its investments in Facebook News.
Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has repeatedly stated that virtual reality is the future of the internet, and he sees Horizon Worlds as the next generation of social media. However, lawmakers and civil society groups are calling on the company to reconsider its plans to expand the app to teenagers and to abandon the policy change.