• US Senators Edward Markey and Richard Blumenthal wrote a letter to Mark Zuckerberg asking him to not allow teenagers between 13 and 17 years old access to the Metaverse platform, Horizon Worlds.
• The senators highlighted potential harms such as privacy concerns, eye strain, online bullying and reported failures of Instagram in protecting young users.
• They also raised concern about Meta’s plan to target young people with offerings in the metaverse due to its documented track record of failing to protect children and teens.
US Lawmaker Calls on Zuck Not To Offer Metaverse To Teenagers
A letter from two U.S. senators has asked Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg not to offer its metaverse platform, Horizon Worlds, to teenagers aged between 13 and 17 years old. Senators Edward Markey and Richard Blumenthal noted potential harms such as privacy concerns, eye strain, online bullying, as well as Meta’s failure in protecting young users.
Reports Of Instagram Linked To Suicidal Thoughts
The senators cited reports of Instagram being behind many teenagers experiencing suicidal thoughts, and Meta’s failure to stop harmful ads aimed at young adults. They raised concern about the firm’s plan to target young people with offerings in the metaverse due its documented track record of failing to protect children and teens.
Meta Responds To Letter
Meta has yet responded officially to the letter sent by the two senators but has stated that it will be looking into „how best they can ensure a safe experience“ for all their users regardless of age or other factors when they launch their platform.
Legislation On Crypto Mining
The same two lawmakers have introduced legislation on crypto mining which would regulate crypto miners who are using consumer’s electricity without permission or compensation for their activities. The legislation seeks to ensure that users have control over how their data is mined or used for cryptocurrency transactions.
Conclusion
Overall this article emphasizes on US Lawmakers warning against allowing teenagers access into the virtual world of metaverse given potential risks associated with it such as online bullying and data security breaches while also introducing new legislation regarding crypto mining operations without user consent or compensation for electricity usage