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What sort of online mischief did you get up to before you reached 18? You likely came across some form of explicit content or an unsavory individual through gaming, social media, or another peer-to-peer network. Considering the expansive nature of the world wide web and the confidence that anonymity affords<\/a>, the internet can be a scary place for kids and teens. <\/p>\n While a wide array of parental controls are available to help protect minors on the internet, the same isn\u2019t entirely true for the metaverse. Built on the blockchain and designed around the idea of decentralization, the metaverse\u2019s current form can feel like the wild west, with a lack of regulation that can be intimidating and undeniably dangerous for kids.<\/p>\n While many preach for an open and accessible metaverse, it begs the question of whether or not the fabled next iteration of the internet<\/a> will cater to children like any other user. If that\u2019s the case, how might we protect the next generation from the objectionable parts of the internet? Can age restrictions exist on the blockchain? Or would implementing restrictions in the metaverse go against the core values of Web3 in the first place?<\/p>\n The term \u201cmetaverse\u201d has been defined in a range of ways. For big-name companies like Meta, the term refers to 3D worlds that hinge on virtual or augmented reality. To this end, media, gaming, and tech giants might consider the metaverse as an experience to be built, marketed, and sold. But that doesn\u2019t sound like the vast, permissionless, limitless metaverse many envisioned when reading Snow Crash<\/em>, where author Neal Stephenson\u2019s coined the term.<\/p>\n While the VR versions of the metaverse are undoubtedly valid and important<\/a>, according to many in Web3, the metaverse can only be built on the blockchain with NFTs, crypto, and other forms of decentralized technology. As of 2023, the future of the metaverse and how it might coincide with these Web3 technologies is still unwritten. As a result, it\u2019s difficult to say what might actually come to fruition. The debate surrounding whether or not the metaverse should be\u00a0open, trustless, and decentralized, or defined by tech giants<\/a> aside, the matter of minors being allowed to access it will depend on which of these two versions we\u2019re talking about.<\/p>\n 20\/ tl;dr<\/p>\n The Metaverse will actually happen this decade. <\/p>\n If it is open, human innovation will flourish. If it is closed, we are digital serfs of sorts. <\/p>\n We 100,000 or so people right now are the front-line in this battle and we have to do it ourselves<\/p>\n \u2014 6529 (@punk6529) August 22, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n 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\u2019ve been giving adult guardians peace of mind since 1994<\/a>. <\/p>\n While parental controls are undoubtedly helpful in, say, keeping 13-year-olds from watching programs with mature ratings or accessing apps and websites meant for adults, they\u2019re only as robust as the technology they seek to control. So, could parental controls be implemented in the impressively robust metaverse? <\/p>\n The answer is both yes and no. If we\u2019re defining the metaverse as 3D virtual worlds, then yes, any VR headset or gaming computer can be restricted\u00a0through factory features or third-party apps. Despite evolving technologies, this will likely always be the case with hardware. While the metaverse\u2019s VR Murderville Strip Club (not a real thing) might not have an age restriction implemented, guardians can still set restrictions on kids\u2019 hardware to prevent access. <\/p>\n On the other hand, what can a parent do about their kids accessing the aforementioned iteration of the metaverse as dictated by Web3? In this metaverse, \u201creal\u201d money is on the line as artists sell NFTs, collectors flip crypto-art for profit, and scammers are always out to shanghai one of the two (or both). Not to mention the often negative<\/a> and potentially even toxic nature of some Web3 communities.<\/p>\n A few things must be taken into consideration in this case. First, it is possible that parents can restrict the websites their child visits \u2014 so no more OpenSea, Rarible, Magic Eden, Nifty Gateway, etc. That\u2019s a partial fix, sure. Second, minors likely won\u2019t have access to a bank account, so that means no cashing crypto in\/out. Of course, setting a parental block on wallet services like Rainbow or MetaMask wouldn\u2019t stop someone else from sending coins to the wallet of someone under 18.<\/p>\n But say none of this works. Kids are capable of getting around these parental controls. Maybe a minor has a software wallet downloaded and hidden on their phone. Or perhaps they\u2019re accessing Somnium Space, The Sandbox, or Decentraland (all blockchain-powered and rated for all ages) at school? Or if they\u2019re really skilled, maybe they\u2019re just minting NFTs at a contract level or using swap\/trading apps that circumvent the major marketplaces known to and restricted by parents? This might be an extreme case, but it goes far beyond taking away the child\u2019s VR headset. And due to the decentralized and permissionless nature of the blockchain, there isn\u2019t much a guardian could do.<\/p>\n If there were to be parental controls or age restrictions set in place in the decentralized metaverse, it would take some real finessing. Almost anyone can download a software wallet and use Wyre or MoonPay to purchase crypto with a credit card (perhaps not even their own). And because the goal of a significant portion of Web3 brands is mainstream adoption, the barriers of entry to the NFT space and the interoperable metaverse are only getting lower.<\/p>\nWhat we mean by \u201cmetaverse\u201d<\/h2>\n
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Are age restrictions at odds with Web3 values?<\/h2>\n