Oculus’ VR offerings are very well regarded. You sell good hardware, backed by a great user interface and game library. However, Facebook user data collection is a concern for many.

We can debate how harmful this data collection actually is in practice. However, it undeniable that it is generating intense negativity towards Oculus and scaring away potential customers.

Oculus should improve this situation by giving users control over how their data is collected by Facebook. Oculus should also be transparent about how user data is used.

Some suggestions:

- Add granular privacy settings that allow users control over what user data they share with Facebook. Be specific and detailed about what data you want to collect, and why.

- Add “Why am I seeing this?” functionality like that on Facebook proper, to help users understand why they are being suggested content.

- Let users delete data they don’t want associated with their profile.

- Basic social functionality like Friends and Parties should not rely on a Facebook account.

- Be clearer about how third-party apps integrate with Facebook policies. Is usage of third-party apps tracked by Facebook? Does the Oculus platform Code of Conduct apply to interactions in third-party, non-Oculus apps?

- There should be a ‘Private Session’ mode that allows people to use VR apps without storing any usage data.

I understand that user data collection has many potential benefits, and some users will have no problem sharing their data with Facebook. For users who are concerned, better privacy controls will help convince them to join the Oculus ecosystem.

Unlike the main Facebook platform, Oculus is based around premium sales of hardware and software. You don’t need to bombard users with ads or generate overly detailed user profiles just to make a good profit.

Thanks for your time.