What kind of online shenanigans did you do before you turned 18? It is likely that you have encountered some kind of explicit content or a nasty person through gaming, social media or another peer-to-peer network. Given the expansive nature of the world wide web and the trust that anonymity provides, the Internet can be a scary place for children and adolescents.
While a wide range of parental controls are available to help protect children online, the same is not true of the metaverse. Built on the blockchain and designed around the idea of decentralization, the current shape of the metaverse can feel like the Wild West, with a lack of regulation that can be intimidating and undeniably dangerous for children.
While many preach in favor of an open and accessible metaverse, the question arises as to whether the next legendary iteration of the Internet will cater to children like any other user. If that’s the case, how could we protect the next generation from the objectionable parts of the Internet? Can there be age restrictions on the blockchain? Or would implementing constraints in the metaverse go against the core values of Web3 in the first place?
What we understand by “metaverse”
The term “metaverse” has been defined in various ways. For big-name companies like Meta, the term refers to 3D worlds that rely on virtual or augmented reality. To this end, media, gaming, and tech giants could look to the metaverse as an experience to build, market, and sell. But that doesn’t sound like the vast, limitless, permissionless metaverse many imagined when reading snow shockwhere author Neal Stephenson coined the term.
While VR versions of the metaverse are certainly valid and important, according to many on Web3, the metaverse can only be built on the blockchain with NFTs, cryptography, and other forms of decentralized technology. As of 2023, the future of the metaverse and how it might match up with these Web3 technologies is still unwritten. As a result, it’s hard to say what might come to fruition. Leaving aside the debate about whether the metaverse should be open, trusted and decentralized, or if it is defined by the tech giants, whether minors can access it will depend on which of these two versions we are talking about.
20/ tl; dr
The Metaverse will actually happen in this decade.
If it is open, human innovation will flourish. If it is closed, we are a kind of digital serfs.
We, some 100,000 people right now, are the front lines in this battle and we have to do it ourselves.
– 6529 (@punk6529) August 22, 2021
Parental controls are features included with streaming services, game consoles, mobile devices, and computers that allow parents to restrict what content their children can access and monitor activity. Both millennials and gen z are likely familiar with these tools as they have given adult tutors peace of mind. since 1994.
While parental controls are certainly useful for, say, preventing 13-year-olds from watching shows with mature ratings or accessing apps and websites intended for adults, they’re only as robust as the technology they seek to control. So could parental controls be implemented in the impressively robust metaverse?
The answer is both, yes and no. If we’re defining the metaverse as 3D virtual worlds, then yes, any VR headset or gaming computer can be restricted via factory features or third-party apps. Despite the evolution of technologies, this is likely to always be the case with hardware. While the metaverse’s VR Murderville Strip Club (which isn’t real) may not have an age restriction in place, guardians can still set restrictions on children’s hardware to prevent access.
On the other hand, what can a parent do to give their children access to the aforementioned iteration of the metaverse dictated by Web3? In this metaverse, “real” money is at stake as artists sell NFTs, collectors trade crypto art for profit, and scammers are always willing to shanghai either (or both). Not to mention the often negative and potentially even toxic nature of some Web3 communities.
There are a few things to keep in mind in this case. First, parents may be able to restrict the websites their children visit, so no more OpenSea, Rarible, Magic Eden, Nifty Gateway, etc. That’s a partial solution, for sure. Second, minors probably don’t have access to a bank account, so that means they can’t deposit or withdraw cryptocurrency. Of course, setting a parental lock on wallet services like Rainbow or MetaMask would not prevent someone else from sending coins to the wallet of someone under 18.
But let’s say none of this works. Children are capable of bypassing these parental controls. Perhaps a minor has a software wallet downloaded and hidden on her phone. Or maybe they’re accessing Somnium Space, The Sandbox, or Decentraland (all blockchain-powered and all-ages rated) at school? Or if they’re really slick, maybe they’re just minting NFTs at the contract level or using exchange/trading apps that bypass the major known and parent-restricted marketplaces? This might be an extreme case, but it goes way beyond taking the kid’s VR goggles off. And due to the decentralized and permissionless nature of the blockchain, there isn’t much a gatekeeper can do.
Are age restrictions at odds with Web3 values?
If parental controls or age restrictions were to be put into the decentralized metaverse, some real refinement would be needed. Almost anyone can download a software wallet and use Wyre or MoonPay to buy cryptocurrency with a credit card (maybe not even your own). And because mainstream adoption is the goal for a significant portion of Web3 brands, the barriers to entry into the NFT space and interoperable metaverse are only lowered.
Let’s say a company comes out with an app aimed only at children or one that blocks computer and device access to all Web3 and NFT sites and platforms. That could be an easy win for parents. But there are still a couple of challenges. First, there’s the problem of nefarious characters potentially infiltrating a kid-approved metaverse. Also, it’s doubtful that a solution will emerge that filters out only the explicit parts of Web3 (CryptoDickButts, skill/gambling games, naked NFTs, etc.) while allowing minors access to others. Achieving this would require significant human effort to identify the nature of the content and take advantage of subjective qualitative metrics. Considering With the ever-growing NFT market and the wide variety of blockchains and hosting services associated with the metaverse, this feat seems pretty unachievable for any Web3 startup.
Even if a service like this existed, it could be considered contrary to the values and spirit of Web3. Because within blockchain-based communities, one value remains a constant common thread: the burning desire for decentralization. While in some cases, this may pertain only to decentralized finance, the idyllic builders of Web3 have long scoffed at the restrictive nature of the legacy financial, tech, and creative industries.
This is especially true when you consider the mix of legal issues that the blockchain has experienced over the past year. While the NFT space cheered the arrest of Sam Bankman-Fried following the heartbreaking saga that was the fall of FTX, SEC investigations into prominent projects and trusted crypto exchanges have left many in fear of regulation. imminent restrictive
So would parental controls, age restrictions, or some other form of heavy-handed content blocking find a warm welcome on Web3? Not likely. Of course, this is based on the principles of the community that exists on the blockchain. That is, for them centralized power is bad. As for the moral question of the need to protect minors from the insurmountable “ick” that exists online and (in some forms) on-chain, considering the personal nature of the question, Web3 may not quite get around to it. an easy consensus.
More on the moral enigma
Adverse side effects of social networks in minors (especially children) has been narrated many times. Taking into account depression, self-harm and other mental health problems associated with platforms like Instagramit makes sense that the metaverse could exacerbate these effects. However, this has yet to be studied, seen, or measured on a large scale.
And still, he potential benefits abound. The metaverse could provide a significant head start for family life at home, from engaging learning opportunities to new avenues for developing social skills and the potential for parents to bond with their children about the exciting possibilities of the future.
When all is said and done, the actual conversation about whether or not children should be allowed into the metaverse is a matter of morality and ethics. As always, it is left to the discretion of parents and guardians to decide what is most appropriate for their children. While the only solution to implementing parental guidelines in the metaverse seems to be “all or nothing” at the moment, perhaps the best course of action to keep children safe is through education. If the metaverse is inevitable, it will be essential to teach the next generation the skills they need to stay safe and prosper, such as how to avoid scams, how the blockchain works, and best practices for wallet security.
