• vithigar@lemmy.ca
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      2 months ago

      Is that a step further though? I feel like not giving kids access to VR Chat comes way before not giving them a smartphone in terms of restrictiveness or severity. It’s a far more reasonable suggestion.

      • Blaster M@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Both… but a Quest is mainly designed for gaming, where a smartphone is designed to do everything. The smartphone restriction is an easy one to recommend.

        • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
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          2 months ago

          I don’t follow. Wouldn’t a limited-purpose device be easier to restrict than a general-purpose device?

          Look at the Nintendo Switch. If there was ever an Internet-connected device to give your kids, it’s a Switch. I have never heard of anything untoward happening to a child on Nintendo’s online platform.

          • Blaster M@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            A Quest is an overpowered smartphone strapped to your face, with all the capabilities of such. You can restrict a smartphone too, but how many parents actually have that level of technical inclination? It’s better to limit the youngest minds’ times on these devices until they’re a bit older, and you’ve had more time to teach them important life skills. Also, parents teach your kids important life skills from an early age, please.

            • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
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              2 months ago

              I think we actually agree, maybe just a misunderstanding.

              I don’t believe that parental controls actually stop most kids from doing things they shouldn’t, and I think these devices are bad for a growing mind compared to real world human experiences.

              I think I misunderstood you earlier thinking you said that smartphones were easier to agree to giving children over a VR headset, because a VR headset is only for gaming. I think we both agree that they are bad.

    • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      The first (and only) time I played VRChat, my takeaway was, “What kind of adult would want to play a game with this many preteens in every room?”

      Then I answered my own question…