Meta Adds 'Personal Boundary' to Virtual Worlds
To address harassment in its virtual reality platforms, Meta is rolling out a "personal boundary" tool. The feature enforces a minimum distance between avatars, reflecting a growing industry focus on implementing proactive safety and boundary-setting tools in social products.
- The "Personal Boundary" feature creates an invisible barrier that is equivalent to nearly four virtual feet of space between avatars in Horizon Worlds and Horizon Venues. If another avatar attempts to enter this space, the system will stop their movement without any haptic feedback. - This safety measure was implemented after reports of virtual harassment, including a beta tester who detailed being "virtually gang raped" by several male avatars within 60 seconds of joining the platform. The immersive nature of VR, where unwanted avatar contact can trigger controller vibrations, can make these encounters feel more intense. - Initially, the Personal Boundary was always on by default to help establish behavioral norms in the new medium. Meta later updated the feature to allow users to customize their boundary settings, a change based on community feedback. - For users aged 10-12 on parent-managed accounts, the Personal Boundary is locked on for all interactions, and voice chat is limited to approved contacts, with other voices being filtered into quiet, friendly sounds. - Meta has since expanded its safety tools in Horizon Worlds with features like streamlined in-stream reporting, educational explainers on safety controls, and age-gating for mature content. - The challenge of moderating virtual worlds is not unique to Meta; other platforms like VRChat and Rec Room have also implemented various safety features. VRChat, for example, uses a "Trust System" that allows users to adjust settings for things like microphones and graphical effects based on user trust levels. - Looking forward, Meta is reportedly shifting towards using AI to handle up to 90% of its product risk assessments, including those for youth safety and AI ethics, a move away from human-led reviews. - The broader metaverse division, including Horizon Worlds, has faced financial pressure, with reports of potential budget cuts as high as 30% and possible layoffs as the company increases its focus on AI.
