Children have been interacting in the metaverse for years – what parents need to know about keeping them safe
Recent headlines have highlighted the dangers to children of the metaverse – a generic term for the range of online virtual worlds, developed by different tech companies, in which users can interact.
- Recent headlines have highlighted the dangers to children of the metaverse – a generic term for the range of online virtual worlds, developed by different tech companies, in which users can interact.
- Recently, Meta – Facebook’s parent company – announced that teenagers would be able to use its VR Horizon Worlds app in North America.
- It would be no surprise if parents were concerned about this technology and how it might affect their children.
Avatars and online games
- Perhaps the most famous current interactive world aimed at children is Roblox, an online platform that allows users to create avatars, play games, make their own games, and interact with others.
- Young people play games developed by other users – the most popular is currently Adopt Me!, in which players adopt animals and live with them in a virtual world.
- This mix of gameplay, interaction with others, and opportunity for creativity are all reasons Roblox is so popular.
- Before Minecraft, there were other platforms such as multiplayer online games Club Penguin (launched 2005) and Moshi Monsters (launched 2008) which, while smaller in scope, still allowed young people to engage with others on online platforms with avatars they created.
Parental knowledge
- In my work with colleagues on online harms, we often talk about mitigating risk through knowledge.
- Most provide parental controls and tools to block and report abusive users.
- If they know you are approachable and understanding about their online lives, they are more likely to talk about them.