Facebook owner Meta adds tool to guard against harassment in metaverse

FILE PHOTO: An attendee demos the Oculus Quest wireless virtual reality headset during Facebook Inc's F8 developers conference in San Jose, California, U.S., April 30, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam/File Photo

(Reuters) - Facebook's parent Meta Platforms said on Friday it is launching a tool for people using its virtual reality social platforms to maintain personal space boundaries, as concerns have mounted about user safety and sexual harassment in the metaverse.

Its new "personal boundary" tool will make users feel like they have nearly four feet (1.2 meters) between their virtual avatar and others when they access the immersive Horizon Worlds and Horizon Venues apps through VR headsets.