Oct 19, 2023

Parent-Managed Meta Accounts: What Developers Need to Know

Please note: This blog post has been updated as of June 10, 2024. If your app is for mixed ages (under 13 or applicable age in user’s region, and 13+), then you will need to request access to the Get Age Category API through Data Use Checkup and integrate the API into your app. Please visit our documentation to learn more (Unity | Unreal | Native).

We recently launched parent-managed Meta accounts to welcome children ages 10 – 12 onto our platform. Now, parents can set up accounts for their preteens so they can access many of the magical experiences you’ve built on Meta Quest.

Between welcoming children ages 10 – 12 and the launch of Meta Quest 3, we’re excited about the many opportunities you have to build what’s next for the Meta Quest Platform. Watch the video below to hear from Chris Pruett, Meta’s Director of Content Ecosystem, about just that.

New Responsibilities for All Developers

The safety of everyone on our platform is a top priority, and with the addition of this new age group to our ecosystem, we need to work together to protect our youngest users. This includes new responsibilities that all developers must meet to help foster safe, positive experiences for children ages 10 – 12.

Here’s a brief overview:

Identify and self-certify the intended age group for each app you distribute on the Meta Quest Store and App Lab. The self-certification flow will launch in January 2024 for Meta Quest Store apps and March 2024 for App Lab apps.

Take additional action based on your age group selection. Apps for mixed ages (under 13 and 13+) must implement the Get Age Category API.

You can find key timelines, detailed steps, and documentation outlining exactly what you need to do by visiting our new resource page in the Developer Center.

Steps You Can Take Today to Meet New Responsibilities

Any apps that don’t meet their required responsibilities will be at risk of losing access to certain platform features and removal from the Meta Quest Store or App Lab. The actions outlined above may take significant time to implement, which is why we recommend getting started early with the next steps listed below.

Visit the new resource page in the Developer Center and review linked resources to learn exactly what actions you’ll need to take depending on your app’s audience.

If necessary, you can get started integrating the Get Age Category (Unity | Unreal | Native) today to ensure your app meets these new responsibilities as soon as possible.

If you run into issues when integrating the Get Age Category, visit the Support Center⁠ and reach out for technical support. When submitting your support ticket, please select “Parent-managed Meta accounts” from the drop-down menu.

Stay Tuned for More Resources to Support Your Organization

This is an exciting time to build and distribute apps on Meta Quest, and we want to give you the guidance you need to grow your business and foster safe experiences. We’ll continue updating the new resource page to provide you with additional content and guidance to help you navigate these changes and integrate the Get Age Category API. If you encounter issues during integration, you can receive technical support by submitting a ticket in the Support Center⁠.

Parent-Managed Meta Accounts: What Developers Need to Know

New Responsibilities for All Developers

Steps You Can Take Today to Meet New Responsibilities

Stay Tuned for More Resources to Support Your Organization

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