Meta Quest Safety Information for Parents and Pre-teens
The first step to enjoying Meta Quest is making sure you’re using the right account
The first step to embarking on your VR journey is to make sure you create the right Meta account for yourself or the members of your family. Users aged 13+ (ages may differ by country) can use Meta Quest through our Meta accounts. We’re now making it safer for younger members of your family to experience VR by launching parent-managed accounts that offer parental controls and additional protections for children between 10 and 12 years old (ages may differ by country) for our Quest 2 and 3 headsets. Check out our blog that provides the details on these new parent-managed accounts. If you’re setting up an account for your preteen between 10 and 12 years old, be sure to read our article that will walk you through the steps for creating the account.
Importantly, when a preteen goes through the Meta account registration, they’ll need to ask a parent or guardian for help. A parent or guardian must create and manage a Meta account for a child between the ages of 10 and 12 (or the applicable age in your region). Parents cannot create an account for a child under 10 and children under 10 cannot use Meta Quest 2 and 3. Notably, parent-managed accounts are only available on Meta Quest 2 and 3. This means children under 13 cannot use Meta’s other VR headsets where parent-managed accounts are not available.
Meta Quest Health & Safety
The health and safety warnings and information for each Meta Quest headset guide all users on how to set up and use their headsets safely. Learn more at the Meta Quest Safety Center and review the most up-to-date version of warnings for your headset here. These pages provide the information you’ll need as a user and will detail how you can have a great VR experience and do it safely. We want to share some additional safety information for preteens between 10-12 that will be important to know as you decide whether your preteen is ready for Meta Quest, and—if they are—how to prepare them to experience VR and prepare yourself to support them as they do.
Is my child ready for Meta Quest?
Parents should carefully consider whether their child is ready for Meta Quest, because some children might not be, particularly those who are younger or smaller-sized. Your child is ready if they meet the age requirement for a parent-managed account and can do the following things:
-
Read, understand, and follow warnings and instructions,
-
Get a proper fit and clear vision in the headset,
-
Set up and stay in virtual boundaries in a clear space that is appropriate for them to use Meta Quest in (for example, your family or TV room),
-
Select appropriate content given their age and maturity level, with your guidance,
-
Stop their VR experience if they feel uncomfortable,
-
Mention if they have blurry vision, soreness or other symptoms or discomfort,
-
Understand that virtual content is not real, and
-
Take appropriate breaks within reasonable time limits.
More details on these points follow in the sections below.
If your child is ready for Meta Quest, parents should still help their child use the headset safely by supervising them to reduce the likelihood of any injury or property damage, and talk to them about their VR experience. The health and safety information here provides more information on how to determine whether your child is ready, particularly the sections Not all children are ready for Meta Quest and Guidance & limitations on children’s use. You should read the warnings before letting your child start using Meta Quest.
Why is it important to make sure my child is ready before they use Meta Quest?
Meta Quest is not a toy, and younger and smaller-sized children may not be ready for Meta Quest. Children’s bodies tend to be less developed, so their eyes, necks, backs and strength may not yet allow them to use Meta Quest comfortably or safely. They may not have sufficient strength or the headset may not fit. This is particularly true for younger or smaller-sized children. They may also have more intense reactions to virtual content and may have a more difficult time distinguishing virtual content from the physical world, even after they stop use. They may not read or understand warnings and instructions, or not mention or stop use if they experience blurry vision, soreness or other symptoms or discomfort. That’s why it is extremely important to make sure that your child is ready for Meta Quest by considering the information on this page, and having a discussion with them about expectations, before allowing use.
Fit
The first thing you’ll have to do is adjust the headset so it fits your child. Adjust the straps, move the headset up or down, and adjust the lenses until the headset is comfortable and text on the screen is clear. If the headset cannot be easily adjusted to fit your child, or if they cannot see clearly when they put it on, they may not be ready to use it. Wait to allow your child to use the headset until the fit can be made comfortable and the text on the screen is clear.
Safe play area
The Meta Quest device will allow you to outline a safe play area using a virtual boundary in most experiences. This feature allows you to define a safe area so you are alerted to the boundaries and can avoid real-world objects when you are in an experience. Creating such a boundary is especially important for children using the headset. However, it may still be hard for them to stay aware of their environment when they have the headset on. You can help by making sure they stay in their play area, and that it’s clear of furniture, pets, and other people.
Immersion and breaks
VR can provide an exciting immersive experience for your child. But it is very important to provide guidance or monitor the experience so the fun is balanced with your child’s well-being. It can feel intense to be immersed in an experience — and it could prompt an emotional reaction. We recommend that parents
check in with their children about VR experiences, especially related to their children’s emotional
reactions. Experts recommend setting a 2-hour daily time limit for screen time and we allow parents to set a daily time limit for their child (our default setting is 2 hours). Regardless of overall session duration, make sure they take regular breaks during use. Younger children should take more frequent longer breaks.
Also, keep an eye out for warning signs of your child experiencing any discomfort. For example, if your child has blurry vision, starts touching their neck often, changing their posture or movement, or complaining about pain, headaches, or nausea, they may be using their headset for too long or it may not be set up properly. Have them take a break until they’re feeling better and check their headset fit before they play again.
Parental supervision & online safety
Be sure to read our Help Center articles and especially the deep dive on how to set up an account for your child, parental controls, and other safety related information. You can also learn more about keeping your child safe online at the Parent education hub. Similar to Meta accounts for teens, the new Parent-managed accounts for preteens between 10-12 will have additional parental controls and supervision tools to help your preteen have a safe, controlled, and age-appropriate VR experience.
Watch the following safety videos for you and your child:
Safety video for parents
Safety video for youths
Help Center Articles
