How to Balance Privacy and Innovation in Augmented and Virtual Reality

The growing adoption of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) will significantly increase data collection from users and bystanders in public spaces, workplaces, schools, hospitals, homes, places of worship, and more. Existing social, legal, and policy approaches to individual privacy may fall short of addressing the novel concerns that these immersive technologies present. At the same time, over-regulation of AR/VR devices and platforms could hinder innovation and obstruct the ability of companies developing these technologies to tackle unforeseen privacy risks in the future. Finding the balance between implementing necessary safeguards and creating an enabling environment for innovation is critical to the future of AR/VR across industries.

ITIF released a new report and hosted a conversation with experts and industry leaders in AR/VR to discuss what unique privacy risks these technologies raise, how AR/VR providers are mitigating these concerns, and how existing and proposed privacy laws and regulations will impact AR/VR technologies.

Following the panel discussion, ITIF policy analyst Ellysse Dick sat down with Joan O'Hara, Senior Director for Public Policy at the XR Association, to reflect on the conversation and explore the role of industry in aligning innovation and user privacy protections.