What are the best ways to ensure your VR experience is age-appropriate?

2 Use parental controls

Another way to ensure your VR experience is age-appropriate is to use parental controls or settings that allow you to limit or monitor the access and usage of VR devices or apps by children or other users. For example, you can use the Oculus app to set up a PIN code, create a separate profile, or adjust the privacy and security settings for your Oculus Quest or Rift headset. You can also use the Family Library feature to share or restrict certain apps or games with other users in your household. Similarly, you can use the SteamVR app to enable or disable the Family View mode, which lets you manage the access and visibility of your Steam library and VR content.

3 Preview the content

A third way to ensure your VR experience is age-appropriate is to preview the content before you dive into it. This means that you should do some research and watch some trailers, gameplay videos, or screenshots of the VR experiences that interest you or your loved ones. This can help you get a sense of the tone, theme, and quality of the content, as well as the potential triggers, challenges, or risks that it may pose. You can also read the descriptions, reviews, or feedback from other users or experts who have tried the VR experiences and share their opinions, insights, or warnings.

4 Adjust the settings

A fourth way to ensure your VR experience is age-appropriate is to adjust the settings or options that affect the level of immersion, realism, or intensity of the content. For example, you can change the graphics, sound, or motion settings to reduce the visual or auditory impact of the VR experience. You can also modify the difficulty, duration, or mode of the VR experience to suit your preferences, skills, or goals. Some VR experiences may also offer you the choice to enable or disable certain features, such as gore, violence, nudity, or profanity, that may affect your comfort or enjoyment.

5 Communicate and educate

A fifth way to ensure your VR experience is age-appropriate is to communicate and educate yourself and others about the benefits and risks of VR technology. This means that you should talk to your children, family, or friends about the expectations, boundaries, and responsibilities that come with using VR devices or apps. You should also educate yourself and others about the potential physical, mental, or emotional effects of VR, such as motion sickness, eye strain, fatigue, or anxiety, and how to prevent or cope with them. Moreover, you should encourage yourself and others to balance VR with other activities and interests, and to respect the rights and feelings of other VR users or creators.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?