Recent Oculus Rift news has revealed that the virtual reality console has brought with it new privacy concerns. The device was released last month.
Engadget reported that consumer advocate Senator Al Franken has sent an open letter to Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe regarding the console's privacy policy. Franken has previously spoken up against invasive privacy policies by companies such as Uber, among others.
"I believe Americans have a fundamental right to privacy," the senator wrote. "And that right includes an individual's access to information about what data are being collected about them, how the data are being treated, and with whom the data are being shared."
Franken is pushing for more information on the extent to which the company may be collecting users' personal information. Apparently, the Oculus Rift automatically tracks the users' location as well as physical movements and dimensions.
Moreover, this Oculus Rift news also revealed how the VR console also stores communications among its users and any information within it. In the letter, the senator asked whether collecting all this information is necessary for the device's services and whether or not the company is selling data to third parties.
"[N]o data transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be 100% secure," the Oculus Rift's privacy statement read. "As a result, while we strive to protect the information we maintain, we cannot guarantee or warrant the security of any information you disclose or transmit to our Services and cannot be responsible for the theft, destruction, or inadvertent disclosure of information."
According to Ars Technica, Facebook can keep track of what software its users are running through the Oculus Home hub. It also collects data on the players' location and positional tracking of the headset. The publication commented that it is highly likely for the company to share that data among other Facebook-owned companies.
It was previously reported that the Oculus Rift has laid a strong foundation for the future of virtual reality. It has successfully made a "stereotypically geeky" headset look almost natural.
