Senators to Zuckerberg: Keep Your Metaverse Away From the Teens
Mark Zuckerberg’s plan to unleash a metaverse on society is facing pushback from two Democratic senators, who are demanding he spare teens from the experience.
“Meta has failed over and over to protect young users,” Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts wrote in a tweet(Opens in a new window). “Now, they want to bring more kids as young as 13 onto the metaverse without ensuring their safety. They have to stop.”
On Wednesday, Markey and Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut sent a letter to Zuckerberg, opposing the company’s reported plan to bring the virtual reality app, Horizon Worlds, to users between the ages of 13 and 17.
Horizon Worlds is already available for adults, and it represents Meta’s main social VR app. But interest in the VR experience remains low(Opens in a new window). So to spark engagement, Meta is looking to open up Horizon Worlds to teens, according to(Opens in a new window) The Wall Street Journal, which notes the launch could occur as soon as this month.
In response, Sens. Markey and Blumenthal are demanding Meta halt the launch. In their letter(Opens in a new window), the lawmakers imply Zuckerberg is essentially desperate "to salvage Meta’s struggling metaverse” by resorting to focus on teens.
“Meta’s plan to target young people with offerings in the metaverse is particularly concerning in light of your consistent failures to protect young users,” the senators wrote. As evidence, the lawmakers point to research that allegedly shows Meta’s Instagram app can have a negative effect on teenage girls’ mental health. “Other reports(Opens in a new window) have documented Meta’s failure to stop ads for tobacco, alcohol, and eating disorder content from targeting teens,” the letter says.
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