In this article, we will discuss the Personal Boundary feature, how it works, its intention, and whether it’s enough for now.
What Is Personal Boundary, and How Does It Work?
In late November 2021, a beta tester of Horizon Worlds reported that her avatar was groped by an unknown stranger in her virtual world experience.
Although she ended up blocking the groper, this concern became a highlight for the development team.
Based on this report, Meta said it would improve the user experience with better security and privacy.
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It has since introduced a Personal Boundary feature in Horizon Worlds and Horizon Venues that Meta-owned Oculus says helps protect avatars in the metaverse from harassment.
The feature sets up an invisible two-foot radius surrounding your avatar that strangers cannot enter. So everyone will have a four-foot distance between them and other users.
Oculus notes that Personal Boundary will be set to always on:
However, you can use interactions like a fist bump or high-five by extending your arms outside your two-foot barrier.
Movements inside your boundary, however, are instantly halted. Haptic feedback within your boundary is also disabled.
Why Did Meta Launch Personal Boundary?
Personal Boundary is designed as a preventive measure against online harassment. It stops the movement of another avatar once it reaches your personal space barrier.
This feature was designed to provide a safer experience for users. The company also plans to introduce the ability to allow you to customize boundary size based on your comfort.
It can be an essential and valuable addition to your VR experience, especially in the face of bad actors.
Should Meta Do More?
Presently, Personal Boundary helps users feel more secure when using VR.
Related Article: Why Meta Is Building the Fastest AI Supercomputer in the WorldMeta is gathering community feedback to make necessary updates and allow users the best experience possible and interact with others comfortably.
Although it is a good step taken by Meta, we hope to see more improvements with simple features and added security.
Enjoy VR More Safely
Designed to address harassment in the metaverse, Personal Boundary allows you to maintain a distance of four feet from other uses.
The feature has made it easier for people to explore VR and its increasingly popular features. However, Meta claims it’s going to improve this even more in the future.
