Meta opens its Horizon Worlds VR metaverse to teenagers Meta’ | NFTs & DeFi 🗓
Meta opens its Horizon Worlds VR metaverse to teenagers
Meta’s metaverse platform Horizon Worlds lets people create their own 3D environments, which other users can then explore (Meta). Horizon Worlds has been intended for use by adults only until now. However, 13-17 year-olds in the US and Canada will be able to access the virtual world “in the coming weeks”, with other countries expected to follow. Meta says it has introduced “a robust set of age-appropriate protections and safety defaults”. Horizon Worlds lets people create their own 3D environments, which other users can then explore. This is where potential issues for younger users arise — any platform with user-generated content is likely to surface stuff unsuitable for kids, regardless of how rudimentary the building tools are. The platform is also home to curated areas and mini-games, including battleground Arena Clash and a virtual comedy club. Horizon Worlds was launched in December 2021 in the US and Canada, before being released in the UK in June 2022. The app reportedly failed to meet Meta’s expectations. An initial goal of 500,000.
