The company is ignoring some pleas while listening to others.
What you need to know
- John Carmack, Consulting CTO of Oculus, says that Facebook login requirements for the Oculus Quest 2 aren’t going away.
- Carmack cites the company’s dedication to privacy as the reason.
- Facebook has opened up a User Voice portal that will allow Oculus users to make requests and give feedback for platform improvement.
John Carmack, Consulting CTO of Oculus, took to Twitter (via VR Focus) to explain that Facebook wouldn’t be relaxing the requirement to log in with a Facebook account when using an Oculus Quest 2. This comes in response to several requests from users who don’t want to have their Oculus usage tied to their Facebook account, the most concerning matter being what to do if your Facebook account gets banned. At the present time, it is impossible to use an Oculus Quest 2 without an active Facebook account.
In the Tweet, found below, Carmack cites that Facebook “is extremely serious about privacy” and that this is one of the root reasons for the account requirement. We recently found out that Oculus will soon be allowing multiple users per headset, but those additional user profiles will also need their own Facebook account. Thus far, Facebook has cited its account policies as a way to help reduce abuse that could happen in VR, particularly in social apps, as the link to a real identity can help curb harassment.
FB login isn’t going away. Given the climate, I don’t expect people to believe it, but FB is extremely serious about privacy. It will probably take a decade, as with Microsoft’s security renaissance, for it to really get acknowledged by the public.
— John Carmack (@ID_AA_Carmack) January 11, 2021
In addition to the comments on accounts requirements, John Carmack also encouraged Oculus users to take to the User Voice portal for feedback on the Quest platform. Facebook says it’s hoping this portal will encourage users to submit their ideas for improving the Quest platform, as a whole. Ideas can be voted for and commented on, helping make way for new features in the future. As of this writing, the top three requests include requests for multiple users per headset, family accounts, and the removal of the Facebook account requirement.
Carmack also said that Facebook is doubling down on its efforts to deliver monthly updates to the Quest platform. It’s highly likely that new features will be gleaned from the User Voice portal, in addition to other features the team is working on. Carmack also reminded folks that requests for hardware changes likely would take years to realize, whereas software changes could be made much quicker.
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Oculus Quest 2
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The Oculus Quest 2 can be used on its own or paired with a PC, making it the ultimate VR experience.
