Lego and Epic Games want to make the metaverse safer for kids

[jsilva]

In brief: Like many other entertainment companies, Lego is also jumping on the metaverse bandwagon. However, instead of doing it by itself, it has partnered with Epic Games to give it a hand. Details are still scarce, but the partnership aims for a family-friendly digital experience.

On Thursday, Epic Games and Lego announced a long-term partnership to make a metaverse for children. The companies plan to create a safer and more fun virtual environment for families and kids of all ages. Specific details are still under wraps. The press release only mentions that the digital experience will provide tools for kids, allowing them to create and develop worlds in a safe environment.

The Epic-Lego experience will follow three core principles to ensure it's safe and engaging for children:

• Protect children's right to play by making safety and wellbeing a priority,
• Safeguard children's privacy by putting their best interests first,
• Empower children and adults with tools that give them control over their digital experience.

"Kids enjoy playing in digital and physical worlds and move seamlessly between the two. We believe there is huge potential for them to develop life-long skills such as creativity, collaboration and communication through digital experiences," said Niels B Christiansen, CEO of Lego. "But we have a responsibility to make them safe, inspiring and beneficial for all. Just as we've protected children's rights to safe physical play for generations, we are committed to doing the same for digital play."

Also Read: The Metaverse: What Is It, and Why Should You Care?

The partnership combines the two companies' strengths to realize a creative and entertaining world. Epic Games will provide the technology needed for digital creations through Unreal Engine 5, while Lego taps its 90 years of experience in inspiring creativity from various basic and custom building bricks.

In theory, the two have all the necessary tools to create compelling experiences that will surely entertain people of all ages, not just kids. However, the lack of specific information leaves us wondering if the project will actually be a metaverse or simply a game/toy for creating virtual worlds.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/94095-lego-epic-games-want-make-metaverse-safer-kids.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

If you want to make the metaverse safer for kids, keep them off of it.

 

[Lounds]

Basically they want to make an open world Roblox.

 

[Dimitriid]

Almost all of this metaverses are just excuses to run NFT scams so until they explicitly state unequivocally that they will not, now or ever, implement NFTs into it, for once parents *should* be concerned since this is likely a scam.

 

[p51d007]

BEST way to keep kids safe is just not let them have "all" access to the internet.
No smartphones until at least 14-15. Millions of kids grew up without them and
were just fine. But but but, I need to reach my kid 24/7. THAT is a problem...
When in school, call the office, they know where they are. Otherwise, get em
a PHONE that they can only call 2-3 numbers, plus 911, no smartphone.

 

[emmzo]

If you want to make the metaverse safer for kids, keep them off of it.

Finally, you make some sense.

 

[Aceseven]

BEST way to keep kids safe is just not let them have "all" access to the internet.
No smartphones until at least 14-15. Millions of kids grew up without them and
were just fine. But but but, I need to reach my kid 24/7. THAT is a problem...
When in school, call the office, they know where they are. Otherwise, get em
a PHONE that they can only call 2-3 numbers, plus 911, no smartphone.

were in different times now, kids need to be able to navigate the web and devices now, for all kinds of reasons, blocking them from knowledge will just gimp them and leave em behind those who do have it.

having a pc in your pocket is just needed, parents just need to actually y'know, parent and guide and teach their kids good practices.

 

[stewi0001]

All I want is LEGOs to be more affordable

 

[Mrwhatever85]

For a "safe" metaverse, you as a parent need to be there all the time, don't let them use headphones so you know if his "little friend" is actually 6-12 years old, they don't see the danger coming

there's people recruiting children for sexual exploitation (roblox, free fire and other games), YES that's happening!

it might sound like I am overreacting but the only way I can have my own child safe is being on the metaverse with him, if not all the time then most of the time

 

[Avro Arrow]

I don't believe that either of these companies actually cares about children. They want to increase their public profile so that more people will buy their products. That's capitalism for ya!

 

[psycros]

were in different times now, kids need to be able to navigate the web and devices now, for all kinds of reasons, blocking them from knowledge will just gimp them and leave em behind those who do have it.

having a pc in your pocket is just needed, parents just need to actually y'know, parent and guide and teach their kids good practices.

Wrong on every level.

 

[kiwigraeme]

One thing will say for many kids/teens - is they seem more immune to disinformation than all the older people who have fallen from it . they probably just throw it out - will all the stuff that is thrown their way .
You see interviews of young Russians , off western kids wrt covid , climate change etc - much fewer parrot the bots/the fearful old people who want Daddy figures to control and worship like Putin/Trump/Assad etc .

Lots of Americans here parroting think of the kids - Home of teen pregnancies etc -where GQP States try to push underage weddings as perfectly fine
Horrified that Swedish kids at 12 or 13 can have their partner stay over in the family home .
All the while glorifying violence and hard core porn .

So much for the Frontier kids where 4 year kids feed the pigs & lights the fire , Little Johnny loads the Winchester to fight of dirty heathen Injuns .
Trust and educate your kids - sure put in some limits .
Home of the libertarians what BS - .

QP you need to go back to Breitbart and TruthTV - where there is never a correction or apology for any story ( that is the sign of real media - never apologised , never correct, never compare to our guys -Lazy Obama playing golf )

End of day - Lots of parents want this - will be interesting as LEGO does not make tanks etc - well Starwars belies that I suppose .

I say to anyone trying to control someone's live - do you wish to have that control if you were the kid or as an old person wanted assisted suicide . Do you want the Govt to control YOUR actions - not theirs .
It's only cancel culture or Virtue signaling if they do it - blah blah - hell I'm not perfect - but least I don't lie to myself day after day .

Looked at Breitbart the other day - oh it's all fake - oh well it's not - what should I care - have mine - Putin is wonderful - Ukraine is bad. Still no big Hunter reveal - there never will be - there never is .
Name one big reveal in last 20 years -what's that no reply - Well get suckered into next one - oh so exciting - t will blow everyone's mind when they realised we were the truth-seekers diligent funding these seekers - the court cases that never happened - - Stop the Steal

 

[QuantumPhysics]

One thing will say for many kids/teens - is they seem more immune to disinformation than all the older people who have fallen from it . they probably just throw it out - will all the stuff that is thrown their way .

Modern-day kids read classical literature less often, read non-fiction less often and are not especially disciplined in sciences or math. (I have state test scores to prove my point on demand).

The problem is that they are like sponges and if you expose them to certain ideas regularly and consistently with aggressive marketing you can force them into paradigms of thinking that aren't realistic.

In the movie "Supersize ME" I feel the most important message was when "Brand Implementation for Later Actualization" was explained.

Simply put: if you keep kids focused on your corporate logo and can associate it with "Good feelings" you can make subconscious willing buyers (slaves) out of children even if you're selling them absolute poison.

 

[mgwerner]

You don't "empower" kids. Parents supervise them. Lack of supervision is the problem, using a screen in place of parenting is the problem, and telling children they are "empowered" is the problem.

 

[Nobina]

I agree that parents should be the ones protecting their children from stuff they think is bad for them. Government regulations and big corporations can't substitute parenting and will never have their best interest in mind.

 

[kiwigraeme]

Modern-day kids read classical literature less often, read non-fiction less often and are not especially disciplined in sciences or math. (I have state test scores to prove my point on demand).

The problem is that they are like sponges and if you expose them to certain ideas regularly and consistently with aggressive marketing you can force them into paradigms of thinking that aren't realistic.

In the movie "Supersize ME" I feel the most important message was when "Brand Implementation for Later Actualization" was explained.

Simply put: if you keep kids focused on your corporate logo and can associate it with "Good feelings" you can make subconscious willing buyers (slaves) out of children even if you're selling them absolute poison.

I Get most of that - lots of these things are just in the environment - unless you home school and control who they met , what they see . Eg body image etc is massive - esp. more pronounced for boys now - when I was young most of us didn't care that much .
Sure I would love my son to read more - but a hard ask given modern things - He does lots of incidental reading -loves animal documentaries - he watches so little TV 2 hours a month- even movies . He does consume stuff online , but he also is creates a lot of stuff ( only 12 )
His maths is top of class - creative writing is excellent - just have to remind him to dial back the dark humour . With adverts doesn't appear too affected - when he requests something - it's not often- latest was Elden Ring - told him he needed to work for it - has smashed all those Dark Soul/Super Meat Boy/Hades/Celeste type games - he purposely never reads up or min-maxes .
As for schools probably a worldwide thing - kids learn so much more - you will be pleased know they learnt about a 101 genders/sexuality. Thing was there was already a few boys in school for years who took on feminine look - none of the kids cared and took it as normal .
As for junk food - he wants his Subway once a week - no pop or sweets etc - I buy it even though Subway is still in Russia - Stopped buying Purina when I found out it was Nestle ( most of their products are over sugary junk anyway )

Edit - my son doesn't have a phone or social media accounts like FB, IG, Twitter - TBF he's not asked to have any of that

 

[Emmettf]

Lego, didn't you learn anything from vidiyo?

Parents don't want kids using lego products that use augmented reality or any other tablet/pc features. They want them to use lego bricks to build stuff with their friends.

Keep it simple and affordable (which you also aren't doing).