Parents are being warned to do their research about the potential dangers of virtual reality gifts, such as headsets and haptic gloves, before buying them for children ahead of Christmas.

The eSafety commissioner is warning the devices can expose children to visceral cyberbullying and abuse from strangers and is advising parents read the government’s eSafety Gift Guide before making any purchases.

“Our research shows that around one in five young people surveyed who have engaged in immersive or ‘metaverse’ environments have experienced something that made them feel unsafe,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has said.

“Immersive tech, such as VR headsets and haptic technology, drastically increases the realness of an online experience, making the impact of cyberbullying or abuse far more visceral.

“On top of that, many of these worlds can enable your child to interact with total strangers in private spaces.”

Inman Grant said the use of the games could be “unintentionally inviting virtual predators into homes or open up worlds that promote harmful ideas or gory content”.

She has advised parents to read up on the specific risks and safeguards of devices before buying them.

“Understand what parental controls are built in,” she said.

“For example, can you approve any app downloads or purchases?

“Can you view their friends? Can you control or restrict access to known and age-appropriate players?”

Inman Grant said parents should then continually monitor their child’s online activities while they were using a device.

“Regularly review the settings and landscapes your child is playing in to make sure they are age-appropriate and safe,” she said.

“Have them use their devices in open areas of the home and supervise what they’re doing.

“The online and offline worlds of children and young people are inextricably linked, often in ways that adults don’t understand, so it’s crucial parents and carers are engaged in both these worlds.”

This content was originally published here.