In a collaboration between Meta and PROJECT ROCKIT, a youth-driven movement in Australia devoted to combating cyberbullying and assisting young people in staying safe online, the Metaverse Youth Safety Guide has been released to assist young people using technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) with information.
The ‘Our Metaverse: Young People and the Digital Future’ report by PROJECT ROCKIT, which was released in 2022, served as the inspiration for the guide. The Centre for Multicultural Youth, Indigital, Minus18, Orygen, ReachOut, and UNICEF Australia were among the notable youth, mental health, and technology organizations in Australia that nominated 42 youth leaders for the report.
The Metaverse Youth Safety Guide toolkit was developed in response to these findings and provides helpful advice to assist young people in engaging securely with AR and VR technologies.
The toolkit offers advice for young people and their parents on physical safety measures like making sure VR headgear is set up securely, online safety precautions like using privacy settings and reporting mechanisms, and specific safety recommendations for virtual multi-player environments like Meta’s Horizon Worlds that involve muting, reporting, and relying on human moderation to keep a secure and positive environment for users.
According to Mia Garlick, regional director of public policy for Meta, the company is pleased to have collaborated with Project ROCKIT on the introduction of this useful toolbox for kids so they may interact securely with cutting-edge AR and VR technologies.
“This new toolkit will add to the range of VR safety tools and products we have in place to ensure young people can safely enjoy exploring new technologies,” she stated.
“It’s crucial that we give them the tools they need to use these technologies safely, and that we provide parents and guardians with the resources they need to help them navigate this dynamic online environment.”
Following the publication of the report Our Metaverse: Young People and the Digital Future, said Lucy Thomas, co-founder and CEO of PROJECT ROCKIT, “we developed the toolkit for young people and their families to navigate the emerging online technology world in a way that is both safe and empowered.”
To combat online hate, educate the next generation, and build a more secure, tolerant, and prosperous digital world, Thomas added, “We must have partners like Meta who work with us.”
