One of the main barriers to adopting Meta’s excellent Quest 2 VR headset has been the Facebook account requirement. This is changing today.
Meta is publishing Meta accounts and Horizon profiles as of today, which means that there is no longer any need to link a Facebook account to enjoy VR experiences.
Not surprisingly, this requirement has some Facebook-averse people feeling a little anxious — given the privacy implications of having a Facebook account — so the change might make buying the Quest 2 more palatable.
Meta had promised that the profiles would come in August and today. In a blog post, the company says it’s all about giving users more flexibility.
The company writes: “Our new Meta account structure gives you more flexibility and control, allowing you to choose how you appear and not appear — and whether Facebook and/or Instagram are part of your experience in VR and other surfaces where you use your Meta Horizon profile.”
The video accompanying the blog shows how to get started:
The new policy is a reversal of sorts. For the longest time after purchasing Oculus, the company has enabled users to continue to sign in with their Oculus account. That changed in 2020, much to the chagrin of headphone owners who’ve supported the company since the first Rift headphone debuted on Kickstarter. While existing Oculus accounts can still be used, they are being phased out in 2023.
Of course, it’s not a perfect world. While a Meta account may not provide the same level of snooping and personal exposure as a Facebook account, with all the web tracking and targeted advertising, this solution isn’t necessarily ideal.
Users will still hand over some data to the Meta, which presents problems of its own. The company says that not all users will see the option to create a Meta account today, but it’s now rolling out globally.