Meta: Difference between revisions
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14 Aug 25 Meta sent another of their notorious emails with the text "By continuing to use a Meta account to access our products after '''12 September 2025''', you agree to the revised '''Supplemental Meta Platform Technologies Terms of Service''' and acknowledge that these updates will apply to you." | 14 Aug 25 Meta sent another of their notorious emails with the text "By continuing to use a Meta account to access our products after '''12 September 2025''', you agree to the revised '''Supplemental Meta Platform Technologies Terms of Service''' and acknowledge that these updates will apply to you." | ||
In other words: the user is bombed with long legalese texts, no information about what is changed for the worse. If the user | In other words: the user is bombed with long legalese texts, no information about what is changed for the worse. If the user does not want to accept whatever new stuff they wrote, then throw away/stop using Meta Quest , Meta Ray-Bans and so on. The only option given, is not to use their products and services anymore, or - keep using what you paid for, accept anything. | ||
====Local Mess (June 2025)==== | ====Local Mess (June 2025)==== | ||
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====Oculus VR Facebook account requirement==== | ====Oculus VR Facebook account requirement==== | ||
In 2014, Meta acquired Oculus VR for approximately $2 billion, which was known for developing the Oculus Rift and other virtual-reality (VR) products. Before the acquisition, users could create and use Oculus accounts to access their VR content. This allowed users more control over their privacy and data | In 2014, Meta acquired Oculus VR for approximately $2 billion, which was known for developing the Oculus Rift and other virtual-reality (VR) products. Before the acquisition, users could create and use Oculus accounts to access their VR content. This allowed users more control over their privacy and data without needing to use Facebook. | ||
After Oculus VR was purchased by Meta in October 2020, Oculus Quest and Rift S users were required to sign in with a Facebook account in order to continue to use their purchased VR headsets.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Adi |date=20 Aug 2020 |title=Facebook is making Oculus’ worst feature unavoidable |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/19/21375118/oculus-facebook-account-login-data-privacy-controversy-developers-competition |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref> This forced integration of Facebook accounts with Oculus devices created several issues for users, particularly those who preferred to keep their VR experience separate from social media. | After Oculus VR was purchased by Meta in October 2020, Oculus Quest and Rift S users were required to sign in with a Facebook account in order to continue to use their purchased VR headsets.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Adi |date=20 Aug 2020 |title=Facebook is making Oculus’ worst feature unavoidable |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/19/21375118/oculus-facebook-account-login-data-privacy-controversy-developers-competition |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref> This forced integration of Facebook accounts with Oculus devices created several issues for users, particularly those who preferred to keep their VR experience separate from social media. | ||
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In August 2022, following public backlash, Meta reversed the policy, allowing users to sign in with a new "Meta account" instead of a Facebook account.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ridley |first=Jacob |date=24 Aug 2022 |title=Finally, the Quest 2 no longer requires a Facebook login |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/finally-the-quest-2-no-longer-requires-a-facebook-login/ |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=PCGamer}}</ref> This, however, did not prevent several original Oculus accounts from being deleted or suspended, with Facebook users being locked out of their headsets for two years. | In August 2022, following public backlash, Meta reversed the policy, allowing users to sign in with a new "Meta account" instead of a Facebook account.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ridley |first=Jacob |date=24 Aug 2022 |title=Finally, the Quest 2 no longer requires a Facebook login |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/finally-the-quest-2-no-longer-requires-a-facebook-login/ |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=PCGamer}}</ref> This, however, did not prevent several original Oculus accounts from being deleted or suspended, with Facebook users being locked out of their headsets for two years. | ||
Furthermore, the headsets are not usable at all without connecting them to the Internet and logging them into a Meta/Facebook account when the owner wants to use it for the first time after purchase. This creates the risk that the headsets will be indefinitely unusable, or at least not to be able to be set up after a reset of the software, if Meta theoretically decides to shutdown the authentication or login servers. | |||
====Echo VR shutdown and Ready At Dawn==== | ====Echo VR shutdown and Ready At Dawn==== | ||
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Ready At Dawn Studios was a game developer most notably known for creating the original ''God of War'' series and ''Daxter''. They were acquired by Oculus Studios, an umbrella organization of Meta, in June 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Verdu |first=Mike |date=22 Jun 2020 |title=Welcoming Ready At Dawn to Facebook |url=https://www.meta.com/en-gb/blog/welcoming-ready-at-dawn-to-facebook/ |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=[[Meta]]}}</ref> | Ready At Dawn Studios was a game developer most notably known for creating the original ''God of War'' series and ''Daxter''. They were acquired by Oculus Studios, an umbrella organization of Meta, in June 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Verdu |first=Mike |date=22 Jun 2020 |title=Welcoming Ready At Dawn to Facebook |url=https://www.meta.com/en-gb/blog/welcoming-ready-at-dawn-to-facebook/ |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=[[Meta]]}}</ref> | ||
On January 31, 2023, Ready At Dawn announced that ''Echo VR'' would | On January 31, 2023, Ready At Dawn announced that ''Echo VR'' would shut down on August 1 of that year. They claimed in a blog post that the reason was them "consolidating studio support" to work on their next project, as well as confirming that players who had spent money on in-game currency would not be able to receive a refund.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@EchoGames |date=31 Jan 2023 |title=An Update on the Future of Echo VR |url=https://medium.com/@EchoGames/an-update-on-the-future-of-echo-vr-7f074dca1ed1 |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=Medium}}</ref> Meta's CTO, Andrew Bosworth, answered questions regarding the shutdown in an Instagram AMA, explaining that it would be "even less cost effective" to open-source or sell the game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Harry |date=2 Feb 2023 |title=Meta CTO: John Carmack Would Not Have Shut Down Echo VR |url=https://www.uploadvr.com/meta-cto-john-carmack-echo-vr/ |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=www.uploadvr.com}}</ref> | ||
Fans of ''Echo VR'' protested against the game's shutdown, going so far as to fly a banner over Meta's headquarters asking to reverse the decision.<ref>[https://vrscout.com/news/the-vr-esports-community-rallies-to-save-echo-vr/ "The VR Esports Community Rallies To Save Echo VR"] - vrscout.com - 2 Mar 2023</ref> Despite this, the game's servers did shut down on the given date. ''Echo VR'' itself was still able to be downloaded and opened, meaning the contents of the game were still available, but a player would not be able to progress after a shutdown notice pop-up.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 Aug 2023 |title=Echo VR Has Shut Down |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/comments/15fisnk/echo_vr_has_shut_down/ |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> | Fans of ''Echo VR'' protested against the game's shutdown, going so far as to fly a banner over Meta's headquarters asking to reverse the decision.<ref>[https://vrscout.com/news/the-vr-esports-community-rallies-to-save-echo-vr/ "The VR Esports Community Rallies To Save Echo VR"] - vrscout.com - 2 Mar 2023</ref> Despite this, the game's servers did shut down on the given date. ''Echo VR'' itself was still able to be downloaded and opened, meaning the contents of the game were still available, but a player would not be able to progress after a shutdown notice pop-up.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 Aug 2023 |title=Echo VR Has Shut Down |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/comments/15fisnk/echo_vr_has_shut_down/ |url-status=live |access-date=26 Apr 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> | ||