Novel Challenges of Safety, Security and Privacy in Extended Reality

Abstract

Extended Reality (AR/VR/MR) technology is becoming increasingly affordable and capable, becoming ever more interwoven with everyday life. HCI research has focused largely on innovation around XR technology, exploring new use cases and interaction techniques, understanding how this technology is used and appropriated etc. However, equally important is the investigation and consideration of risks posed by such advances, specifically in contributing to new vulnerabilities and attack vectors with regards to security, safety, and privacy that are unique to XR. For example perceptual manipulations in VR, such as redirected walking or haptic retargeting, have been developed to enhance interaction, yet subversive use of such techniques has been demonstrated to unlock new harms, such as redirecting the VR user into a collision. This workshop will convene researchers focused on HCI, XR, Safety, Security, and Privacy, with the intention of exploring safety, privacy, and security challenges of XR technology. With an HCI lens, workshop participants will engage in critical assessment of emerging XR technologies and develop an XR research agenda that integrates research on interaction technologies and techniques with safety, security and privacy research.