“Our research shows that around one in five young people surveyed who have engaged in immersive or ‘metaverse’ environments have experienced something that made them feel unsafe,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has stated.
“Immersive tech, such as VR headsets and haptic technology, drastically increases the realness of an online experience, making the impact of cyberbullying or abuse far more visceral.
“On high of that, many of those worlds can allow your baby to work together with whole strangers in personal areas.”
Inman Grant said the use of the games could be “unintentionally inviting digital predators into properties or open up worlds that promote dangerous concepts or gory content material”.
She has advised parents to read up on the specific risks and safeguards of devices before buying them.
“Understand what parental controls are in-built,” she said.
“For instance, are you able to approve any app downloads or purchases?
“Can you view their friends? Can you control or restrict access to known and age-appropriate players?”
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Inman Grant stated mother and father ought to then frequently monitor their kid’s on-line actions whereas they have been utilizing a tool.
“Regularly review the settings and landscapes your child is playing in to make sure they are age-appropriate and safe,” she stated.
“Have them use their devices in open areas of the home and supervise what they’re doing.
“The on-line and offline worlds of kids and younger persons are inextricably linked, typically in ways in which adults do not perceive, so it is essential mother and father and carers are engaged in each these worlds.”
