Parents’ Guide To The Metaverse

The answer to what the metaverse is can be a bit tricky because it’s incredibly vague (yet). But here’s what we know.


What Parents Need to Know About the Metaverse
by Unsplash / Markus Spiske

Surely there are a lot of parents who get calls from their own parents about how to do something on the internet, and it can be frustrating. It comes to us so easily that we forget our parents didn’t grow up with this technology and we sit on the phone and tell them what to do. It doesn’t often occur to them that twenty years from now they will be the same. They will call their kids to ask about the internet, and that’s because the internet is constantly changing.

Parents have watched technology develop and change over time, so there’s no reason not to expect it to continue. The Internet and social media we know today will probably not be what our children will know in the future. There’s been a lot of talk about a “metaverse,” and while it might be new, it’s going to be something our kids are familiar with, and here are some things they should know to prepare.

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The answer to what the metaverse is, it can be a little tricky because it’s incredibly vague (at the moment). According to Digital Trends, the Metaverse is “the future of the internet,” meaning it’s all about virtual reality. It is a virtual reality system that allows people everywhere to interact with each other. Although it’s something happening now, this new system will allow people to be in the middle of the action, and instead of scrolling the internet, you can “be inside” and interact with it. This will allow people to share the Internet with each other through virtual reality, in real time.

Important Conversations

When it comes to protecting children with a metaverse instead of the normal internet, the answer is pretty much the same. According to Quartz, parents should always be aware that children can already access social media sites using a fake birthday. Parents are also urged to tell their children to be careful when interacting with others online and the same safety guidelines will be in place when it comes to the Metaverse. When experts examine a child’s biology, they know that their prefrontal cortex (responsible for emotions and behavior) is not fully developed and this may put them at greater risk of engaging in games and situations that may not suit them.

Encourage children to talk

According to Slate, there is another potential problem with a metaverse for kids and this was based on looking at how kids act differently now when it comes to standard screens and virtual reality. One expert said that when kids were watching TV or playing a normal video game, they were more likely to stop and ask questions about what they were seeing and/or what they were supposed to be doing. This was not noted in virtual reality. Children were less likely to stop and seek advice and clarification from the adults around them. This is an important point for parents to ensure their children know how to question what they can experience, which is what anyone should do when on the internet.

Sources: Digital Trends, Quartz, Ardoise


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