Democratic Senators Reject Meta’s Plan to Bring the Metaverse to Teens

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In an effort to bring the metaverse to the attention of teenagers, Meta, a popular social media company, recently proposed a plan to roll out its flagship metaverse app, Horizon Worlds. However, Democratic Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal have called for a halt to the risky teenage adoption plan due to the potential dangers of interactions that teens may face in virtual worlds. This controversial move by Meta has been met with strong pushback from certain authorities and is drawing attention from both sides of the debate.

Senators call on Meta to Stop Risky Teenage Adoption Plan

Two Democratic senators, Senator Edward Markey and Senator Richard Blumenthal, have recently written a letter to Meta asking them to stop their plan to open its metaverse world, Horizon Worlds, to teens aged 13 years or older. The senators wrote that this move poses a number of risks to the health and privacy of these young users.

Horizon Worlds is Meta’s flagship metaverse app and has been gaining traction lately. It is a virtual world where players can create and customize their own avatars, build virtual homes, interact with other players from around the world, participate in events and activities, and even purchase virtual currency. It has been marketed as an escape from the real world for adults and older teens alike.

However, by opening up the metaverse world to younger teens, it increases their risk of becoming victims of cyberbullying or encountering inappropriate content. Additionally, the senators argued that it would be difficult for Meta to ensure that the data collected from these children are adequately secured and protected.

As such, Markey and Blumenthal are calling for Meta to halt its plans to protect the privacy and safety of young users. They also have addressed Meta’s previous mistakes involving this demographic, such as when they allowed real money transactions without proper age verification tests in place.

Based on this opposition, it remains unclear if Meta will continue with its plan or heed the senators’ advice. For now, we can only wait until Meta provides an official statement regarding its teenagers adoption push.

Meta’s Risky Move

Meta is planning to include teens aged 13 and older in their metaverse, in order to keep the company growing and meet the needs of the targeted cohort. This move could be seen as a risky one due to safety concerns, as most of the virtual reality apps out there are designed with adults in mind. However, Meta is confident that their app is well-suited for teenagers, given its ability to allow them to explore various worlds and create their own avatar.

In December 2021, Horizon Worlds was released with much anticipation from Meta’s fan base. Although the app has been praised for its visually stunning environment, it has also been criticized for its buggy state even by Meta’s own employees. For example, users have experienced lags and their avatars sometimes become stuck in certain virtual areas. Despite these setbacks, the app continues to gain traction amongst both adults and teens, prompting Meta to consider bringing it to an even younger audience.

However, it seems that Meta is facing a lot of opposition against bringing their metaverse to teens. Democratic senators in particular view this plan as dangerous and potentially damaging if not properly regulated. They worry that allowing teenagers access to the virtual world without any protective measures could be detrimental to their development. Furthermore, they are concerned that the app may be subject to abuse or cyberbullying, which can lead to serious psychological problems among adolescents.

Overall, it looks like Meta is having a hard time convincing lawmakers that including teens in the metaverse is a good idea. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops as more debates continue over this matter. Regardless of what happens with policy makers, it’s clear that teens are interested in exploring the world of virtual reality and metaverse applications, making this a topic of ongoing discussion for the foreseeable future.

Meta’s plan to bring the Metaverse to teens has been met with opposition from Democratic senators. The senators have voiced concerns over the potential risks such a plan could pose to teenagers, and called on Meta to abandon the plan in its current form. This story highlights the importance of understanding the potential consequences of introducing new technologies and engaging in responsible decision-making when it comes to introducing them to teens.

Frequently Asked Questions About Horizon Worlds