The 2nd Annual AR/VR Policy Conference

The second annual AR/VR Policy Conference took place this Wednesday, September 14, in Washington D.C., accompanied by a live stream on YouTube. The event, once again hosted by Information Technology Innovation Foundation and the XR Association, followed last year’s all-virtual event. Registration for both events was free, regardless of in-person or virtual attendance. As a proud media partner of the AR/VR Policy Conference, here’s the ARPost recap – though you can also watch the complete event on YouTube. Welcome and Keynote The marathon session lasted from 11 AM to 5 PM local time, though in-person attendants also had access to a networking social following the conclusion of the sessions. There was also a demo floor for participating companies to showcase their XR for good projects. Elizabeth Hyman’s Welcome Address The AR/VR Policy Conference started off with a welcome address by XRA CEO Elizabeth Hyman. Hyman praised ITIF as a partner

Data Security: Top Challenge in the Metaverse According to Tech Leaders

Ninety-seven percent of the respondents acknowledge the importance of data in the metaverse; Source: Bright Data Everyone’s talking about the metaverse. Tech giants are in a race to integrate into this new parallel world even as questions of data security surface. While the concept isn’t new, the business landscape has only recently been looking at the potential of the metaverse outside the gaming world. According to a survey from a web data platform Bright Data, and conducted by research firm Vanson Bourne, more than half of its respondents are aware of how the metaverse works. About 89% consider it important for business operations and 97% of the respondents acknowledge the importance of data in the metaverse. However, 60% cite data and security as the top challenges of this virtual world. Everyone is asking the same question: how will the metaverse impact cybersecurity? Cybersecurity and the Metaverse Cybersecurity has been a

ITIF Releases Report on Moderating Multi-User Immersive Experiences

When you’re on social media and see someone engaging in dangerous, illegal, or often just distasteful activity, it is often fairly easy to report the content or the poster. In the physical world, these situations are less frequent and scarier but here too there are ways to report illicit interactions when necessary. But, what about immersive experiences? We tend to spend most of our time talking about the positive interactions and promises of immersive experiences. While AR and VR applications combine the best of in-person and online events, they also combine the worst of these settings for people who would misuse them. A recent report by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) explores this. Authors and Influences “Content Moderation in Multi-User Immersive Experiences: AR/VR and the Future of Online Speech” is a free online publication by Daniel Castro, ITIF vice president and director of the Center for Data Innovation.

XRSI Releases Report on the Dangers of XR Data Collection

The metaverse is composed of virtual worlds. However, those virtual worlds are built and occupied by real people. While they offer real utility, they also pose real risks, particularly given the capacity of XR hardware to collect data and the inability of regulators to keep up. XR Safety Initiative held a roundtable event, The XR Data Classification Roundtable, on International Human Rights Day last year, and a detailed report of their findings and positions has recently been made available. Where Does XR Data Go? “People relinquish their data without realizing the risks or consequences. While this is not new, the difference today is we are moving towards an era of constant reality capture, especially with increased adoption of immersive technologies and a strong push to build the next iteration of the internet, also known as the Metaverse,” reads the “Virtual Worlds, Real Risks and Challenges” report. These strong words from