Age Verification/NSFW Content
tracked
Jasper Raine
I'm going to get straight to the point on this one. On a platform like VRChat, NSFW stuff
is
going to happen, no matter what the terms says and no matter what is/isn't allowed. People are going to do this no matter what you do and in fact it already does happen... all the time. I feel the best solution to the problem is some sort of age verification as well as usage of the NSFW tags in the SDK for avatars and worlds.The use of the age verification system would let users set their birth date or just their age and would automatically filter out content with any NSFW tags along with the option to hide birth dates and ages either from everyone or people that aren't friends or both. The report system would be a way to get around issues with this as well as users showing proof with ID so that false reports do not occur. Plus with this system, legally the situations players find themselves in would fall upon the players themselves rather than VRChat, especially if you make a disclaimer specifying this in the terms. As it currently stands, potentially the legal issues fall on VRChat for not enforcing the terms enough to filter out NSFW content and this would resolve the issue entirely. It's only a matter of time before something happens in-game and VRChat gets sued. I'm no lawyer, but it doesn't take one to know stuff like this happens.
As for NSFW Content Filters, this would also solve the issue for adults that do not want to see certain NSFW content. Again, making it legally their responsibility rather than VRChat's responsibility. Making use of the check boxes in the SDK would make it much easier for this filter to work.
There's honestly no good reason for this to not already be a feature in VRChat beyond lack of time as I know it does take time to implement something like this and some effort on the team's part, but this would solve a lot of potential future issues and I'd rather not see this platform in the same position as the Titanic, thinking everything is going great and then one thing happens and it's all over.
Edit: I'd like to also add at this point that most VRChat users, or at least from what I've seen, actually don't care if NSFW stuff is in VRChat. Most people generally have a "keep it in the bedroom" sort of mentality where they're fine with it if it's not in their face. I've in fact seen many NSFW avatars in public worlds as well as NSFW discussions and other content in public worlds and people just don't care because the users, avatars, and worlds stay in VRChat without being reported or anything. There is literally no way around NSFW content and this is the only solution that makes sense: Just allow it and use content filters and age verification.
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BabyNuni
here is the problem for this tho many kids are going to put an older age especially smarter ones 14-17 I feel like we should have to also have an extra verification for any kind of ID but than again don't know if I trust vrc with that.. I downloaded roblox a bit ago and had to take a pic of my ID to be able to use Voice chat ( yes some kids still got in cause of stupid parents but that was 13+ I feel like if parents saw 18+ they wouldn't do that and there is just less of a chance) so I feel like its possible for VR chat too as long as they don't save the IDs and it instantly deletes.
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camilla May
VRC is already partnering with Tilia for the internal economy. Just have Tilia process an opt-in ID verification, which unlocks a 18+ flag, and here we are. This sould not be the work of the community, as it raises major privacy concerns. The fact that it is not implemented is puzzling me.
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Billybobbjoebob
For a system like this, If you're under 18, your birthday should just be hidden by default without a way to show it to anyone. For privacy reasons
DAG-XR
It seems like content gating for avatars and worlds will be implemented very soon (https://hello.vrchat.com/blog/content-gating), which will automatically block off access to "sexually suggestive" content to under 18 users [who truthfully put in their birthday when creating their VRChat account]. But this still vetoes NSFW content. One small step forward, but hopefully one day the policy will change for the better of the adult community.
Murdoc Fluxes
what if you have it so you get a check mark in your username or profile that proves you are above the age of 18. it'd make it a lot safer for adults who interact with others. to many minors in this game lying about their ages to just hang with adults. in doing so getting a lot of adults in trouble cause shitty kids being shitty kids. also for any creeps dancing on or flirting with unverified users would have a closer eye on them in doing so keeping kids safer.
ReploidSham
Revisiting another point, the fact that there are NSFW communities, one thing I'd like to see revisited is the fact NSFW places, and I can name names out of spite because they seem more interested in me than I am in them, request you join their discord and post your ID For them to verify you.
While I understand ID verification, the fact these places are already touching gray areas and request personal information that can be used maliciously, and how unstable these escort clubs/etc have been makes this entire process also dangerous. I'd like to see that addressed somehow. Perhaps an automated system instead for check-once that involves less... human error, should we say. Or potential for fraud.
CRiMSOM13
The hard part is there is no way to really age verify ethically, I support 18+ servers or some way of opting into adult mode but at the same time there are huge ethical implications if data is collected among other issues. I dont think sadly we will be getting 18+ servers for a long while now. the best I could think of is like premium VRC+ servers that are pay walled which should keep most of the younger people out.
TheCreationKing
The idea I've always had is that if it was allowed, everyone exposed should be able to consent to being exposed to something BEFORE it is exposed.
Please add this, AND the option to disable it be set by default.
Add function to NSFW tags on avatars, make it show an error avatar that it is nsfw. Some people have boundaries where they wouldn't want to be near something that they can't see even if they don't want to see it.
Add NSFW tags to worlds, where a world is hidden entirely.
Add NSFW parameters to udon, you can hide certain things while keeping the world public.
Making things publicly allowed, while adding heavy restrictions to when it is shown, is always better than simply pretending it doesn't exist because it isn't allowed.
A safe environment starts with control.
TheCreationKing
Actually about my udon suggestion, it's both a good idea and a bad idea.
People should be in the know when there is something that they can or can't see, udon could affect someone's control over what they do or don't see.
ReploidSham
TheCreationKing: Generally speaking I'd imagine you would apply an NSFW gate toggle as a volume to a room to allow it to be contained there. That would be safe, effective, and allow people to know what where is.
TheCreationKing
ReploidSham: Having a blocked off area is a great way to have it work, it could limit when a tagged avatar could be used automatically and force it to be hidden if it exited the zone. Allowing even more control to feature.
A world with nsfw zones in place could be automatically detected by the SDK and marked as an nsfw world as well, giving even more heads up and making informed consent more enforced.
DarnHyena
Since this got marked as tracked recently, I wanna re-add my 2 cents that I believe a good starting point is to have the NSFW tag block avatars from being wearable in public instances.
Good faith uploaders will keep their avatars marked appropriately so they can't be used in public instances and anyone that doesn't will just have to deal with the consequences of it being removed and their account penalized.
I'm unsure how the verification would work though since that would likely come with all sorts of legal headaches. Even SL once tried doing a ID verification thing for a few years before tossing it and going back to ol reliable "what year were you born".
They also recently tracked a post about adding a report option for underaged players, so maybe it could be something people can do to counter claim such reports.
DarnHyena
I know the devs had reaffirmed that NSFW isn't allowed at all anymore, but well... a virtual world made entirely of user made content.. at the very least this will help keep it restricted to private instances.
Frenetic Furryǃ
DarnHyena: it wasnt allowed at all in the first place
DarnHyena
Frenetic Furryǃ: Never been allowed in public instances even back then, but I still strongly remember it being like a "keep it behind closed doors" sort of sentiment too.
DarkSwordsman
DarnHyena: To this day, they explicitly still distinguish on their tool tips between public and private instances. This is probably to legally cover themselves so people can sue or accuse them of spying on private instances without user consent, but it does basically imply: If you don't stream or share content from a private instance, VRChat can't do anything.
It is a different story though if someone records you in a private instance and reports you, which I assume is common in event servers/groups that do InviteOnly instances.
Frenetic Furryǃ
actual age verification should be a thing so people cant pretend they're 20+ when they're actually 10 as that causes issues on any platform.
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