In just one month, Meta Quest (formerly Oculus Quest) headsets will no longer require a Facebook account. We’ve waited for this moment since last October, and as expected, a new Meta account system will become the standard for Meta Quest headsets.

This is a bit complicated, so bear with me. We’re getting two new things this August—Meta accounts and Horizon profiles. Meta accounts are specifically intended for hardware devices, and presumably, they will be required for future products like the Meta mixed reality headset.

But after making a Meta account, you need a Horizon profile to use your Quest headset. This Horizon profile lets you connect with friends, build an avatar, and use a unique username that’s separate from your Meta account.

Now, Meta accounts are explicitly separate from social media. You can create a Meta account using an email address, and if Facebook is already linked to your Oculus headset, you can unlink it this August. (That said, you always have the option to link a Meta account with Facebook or Instagram.)

Additionally, there are three main privacy options for Horizon profiles. You can leave things “open to everyone,” share with “friends and family” or go “solo.” More granular privacy options should be available at launch, though I want to note that Horizon profiles use a “follower” system like Instagram or Twitter.

Meta accounts and Horizon profiles launch this August. They are required for all Meta Quest users, and you can migrate your existing account details (even if you have an old Oculus account) to your Horizon profile. (Again, you can disconnect Facebook from your headset this August)

I’m fairly satisfied with the new Meta account system, though of course, this is Facebook we’re talking about. If you were concerned about privacy before, you should continue to be concerned.

Source: Facebook (1, 2)