Lego, Epic Games Team Up to Create a Metaverse Platform That’s ‘Safe And Fun For Children’
By Movieguide® Contributor
The Lego Group is the latest company to dip their toe into the pool of the metaverse as the toy company teamed up with Epic Games to create a family-friendly platform.
There are no details yet about what the site will look like, or what it will offer users, but both companies revealed that they plan to “shape the future of the metaverse to make it safe and fun for children and families.”
There are three principles they will follow as they “build an immersive, creatively inspiring and engaging digital experience” for adults and children alike.
Those principles are to protect children’s right to play by making safety a priority, safeguarding children’s privacy, and empowering users of all ages by giving them tools that will let them control their digital experience.
Epic Games has a good track record in terms of creating kid-friendly online spaces. They are behind the mega-popular gaming platform Fortnite. Lego also has experience creating virtual worlds for children as well, with games like Lego Worlds and Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.
However, just because Epic and Lego want to create a family-friendly atmosphere doesn’t mean that parents should not exercise caution when dealing with online communities.
Movieguide® has previously reported on the dangers young people can face in the rapidly growing world of the metaverse:
Popular online platforms like Facebook and Roblox are convinced that the metaverse is the future for virtual reality and online interaction. However, psychologists warn that these technological advancements could have harmful side effects.
After the Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testified in court, it became undisputed that social media contributes to online bullying, especially amongst its youngest users. Psychologists note that this problem could increase with the metaverse. The metaverse is a virtual reality concept where people spend their time interacting online. The company that owns Facebook recently changed its name to Meta to highlight its dedication to the concept.
“There’s a potency about being immersed in a world that is different than observing and interacting…through a flat screen monitor,” Albert Rizzo, a psychologist who serves as the director for medical virtual reality at USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies, said. “Once you’re actually embodied in a space, even though you can’t be physically touched, we can be exposed to things that take on a level of realism that could be psychologically assaulting.”
Mitch Prinstein, a clinical psychologist who serves as chief science officer for the American Psychological Association, added: “This is just an exacerbation of the problems that we’ve already started to see with the effects of social media. This is creating more loneliness. This is creating far more body image concerns [and] exposure to dangerous content that’s related to suicidality.”
While many companies have put policies in place to prohibit graphic content and forms of harassment on their platforms, experts fear a lack of accountability remains.
“Virtual reality really does need a lot of safety built in from the start, because you can’t search [the metaverse] for hate or sexual abuse,” Center for Countering Digital Hate CEO Imran Ahmed said. “You can’t. It happens in an instant [and] there’s nothing you can do.”
“I think parents will be asking themselves: Do I feel safe knowing that Mark Zuckerberg is the guy in charge of deciding who influences my children, who might be able to bully them, and whether or not they’re safe in cyberspace?” he continued.
Ahmed explained that tech companies are unwilling to pay for increased safety features.
“Right now, they’re incentivized to make a profit,” he said.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
