When I started teaching social media a decade ago, the big worry back then was privacy and safety for users. I was so concerned I developed and presented workshops about Social Media Safety for Teens and Parents!  Today, the social gatherings and experiences are growing in the metaverse, and there is much being written about the use of safety and privacy in the metaverse environments.  What is interesting to me is that this time around, there are actually guidelines and active enforcement to provide for much safer environments within the metaverse!

In August this year,  CARU (the Children’s Advertising Review Unit of BBB National Programs) issued a compliance warning of their Advertising Guidelines pertaining to advertising directed at children (under the age of 13) in the metaverse.  They clearly identify that children’s advertising rules apply in the metaverse too.  For a quick summary, check out the August 30th National Law Review article on the matter,   https://www.natlawreview.com/article/children-s-advertising-rules-apply-metaverse-too-caru-says. 

The CARU guidelines address advertising practices and I recommend anyone who is building a metaverse presence review the advertising guidelines, not only because it is important to know the rules, but also because the guidelines will be strictly enforced.  The guidelines are available at https://assets.bbbprograms.org/docs/default-source/caru/compliancewarning-metaverse.pdf?sfvrsn=b9937f2b_7. I encourage you to visit the link, download/print the document for reference as you build your metaverse!

Until the next time….