Rapid growth of virtual and augmented reality technology that can collect massive biometric and other personal data is causing grave concern about implications for privacy and safety. XR Safety Initiative (XRSI), a global nonprofit, has just released the XRSI Privacy Framework, to serve as an ethical guide to managing this complex area and ensuring personal safety. More than half the 45-page document includes details on current regulation, such as GDPR, COPPA and FERPA that address this regionally, and it looks at broader implications. The intent is to deliver “easy-to-understand solutions,” for use in business and education – and to press companies like Facebook to “use immersive technologies responsibly.”

XR refers to extended, immersive reality technologies; including VR, AR, MR (mixed reality) and CR (cinematic reality); which blend real, virtual and mechanized experiences and in doing so are capable of collecting minute details of a person’s behavioral patterns, physical attributes, geolocation and conditioned responses.

The XRSI Framework is intended to serve as a “baseline ruleset” for ensuring human dignity and proactively managing the evolution of this area to maintain respect and preserve privacy.