Facebook-Owned Oculus Rift Sends User Info To Facebook

Eye Looking Through A KeyholeWhen Facebook bought Oculus Virtual Reality two years ago for $2 billion, many users were concerned what the social media giant’s ownership could mean for the future of gaming privacy. The Oculus Rift VR headset was finally released last week, and some of those initial privacy concerns appear to have been warranted.

According to Digital Trends, after users download and install the Oculus Home software, a process is also downloaded that sends data to Facebook whenever the device is turned on.  A Reddit user even claimed that it sends info when Oculus Home is closed.

Of course, the Oculus Rift terms spell out the alarming facts in even greater detail, noting that Facebook can even receive information about a user’s “physical movements and dimensions” from the device.

“We use the information we collect to send you promotional messages and content and otherwise market to you on and off our Services,” the terms read. “We also use this information to measure how users respond to our marketing efforts.”

If you were already skeptical about Facebook’s intentions with the companies it has bought, this news likely won’t come as a shock. However, with its “always on” data collection running in the background and its terms in the fine print, it’s unlikely many Oculus Rift users will even know this is happening at all.