With the increasing popularity of Virtual Reality (VR) devices and games, parents may be concerned about keeping their children safe in the online gaming space. Today we are taking a look at VR, how kids are using it, and what can be done to keep content and interactions safe.
VR games can either be played on a dedicated VR headset like the Meta Quest 2 or with accessories to convert your smartphone into a VR headset. These devices can be used to play multiplayer games online, which allows you to play with other players all over the world.
The most important device feature to utilize is the parental controls on the headset. The Meta Quest 2, which we mentioned earlier, allows for parental controls to be set with a smartphone app. With this app, you can see what games they are playing, minotaur or restrict in-game purchases (a.k.a. microtransactions) or block certain games altogether. You can also check how much time is being spent in the games. The app also allows you to monitor who they are playing with, though usernames are shown, rather than real names.
Even with these parental controls, it’s still important to talk to your children about appropriate behavior in online gaming and how to deal with anything that does not feel right to them. Players can mute other players or even report them if they are using abusive language or are being otherwise inappropriate. Make sure that any kids playing these games know how to use the feature.
Our expert suggested some popular, safe VR games: Fruit Ninja, Beat Saber, Job Simulator, Angry Birds, Gorilla Tag, Rec Room and Roblox.
To learn more about VR safety and read more, check out the original article on Parenting in a Digital World.
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