Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ VR Really Has a Kid Problem

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

OK, I don't want to jump on any bandwagons here, but I think a reasoned and cautious statement of these concerns should be taken seriously. The first concern reflects a concern with social media in general: data collection and misuse by social media companies. To use Oculus, for example, you have to sign up for a Facebook account. And right away, that raises warning flags. A second concern has to do with the nature of VR itself. It's a medium that allows you to change your appearance, to behave differently, and to experience strong sensations, as in "Meta aims to be able to simulate you down to every skin pore, every strand of hair, every micromovement." And "minors were regularly exposed to graphic sexual content, racist and violent language, bullying and other forms of harassment on VRChat's platform, which is typically accessed through Meta's Oculus headsets." So - let's aim for some caution here.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: May 04, 2024 10:02 p.m.

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