Societal (Governmental and non-governmental) measures

At the societal level, the literature highlights the need to review and adapt existing laws to address emerging legal challenges associated with XR technologies. Governance recommendations emphasize policy development for issues such as privacy breaches, virtual property disputes, and digital trespassing. There is a strong call for modernizing laws to regulate virtual property rights and commercial transactions in digital spaces. Additionally, corporate regulations are suggested to prevent data monopolies, restrict emotional analysis, and regulate virtual content, particularly in cases where XR experiences may pose ethical or safety risks. To combat XR-related crimes, digital forensics and cross-border information sharing are recommended. Ethical guidelines are also proposed to address discrimination, bias, and cultural insensitivity, ensuring that virtual environments are inclusive. Finally, the literature emphasizes the importance of codes of conduct and etiquette guidelines to promote respectful social interactions in immersive spaces.

Industry level measures

Industry mitigation strategies focus on improving both software and hardware design. Software recommendations are categorized into structural, privacy and well-being, and technical security measures. Structural improvements include ethics-by-design

approaches, where users have greater control over their virtual representations and mechanisms to mitigate harassment. Ensuring interoperability between XR platforms is also highlighted as a crucial measure.

Privacy and well-being measures focus on limiting biometric tracking, enhancing identity protection, and implementing permission-based access controls. To prevent accidents and spatial disorientation, spatial awareness sensors, warning messages, and indicator lights (such as AR glasses signaling the use of facial recognition) are proposed. Hardware improvements should prioritize lightweight, ergonomic headset designs adjustable for different head sizes and inter-pupillary distances, ensuring comfort, including for users who wear prescription glasses.

Technical security recommendations include the use of AI-based or dynamic security controls, encryption, and preventive game design to enhance user safety. Within virtual environments such as the Metaverse, privacy-enhancing technologies, blockchain integration, shadow avatars, and privacy bubbles are suggested to protect user identity and interactions.

Research Measures

To mitigate challenges when conducting research with XR, three key recommendations are made:

1) Adopting the Ethics review system to address the unique challenges of conducting research in XR, 2) screening participants for vulnerabilities such as cybersickness or contraindications before participation, 3) implementing safety protocols, including gradual acclimation to XR, researcher training, and post-experience well-being assessments to monitor potential psychological or physiological effects.

Individual user measures

At the individual level, users are encouraged to balance virtual engagement with real-life activities, including taking breaks and spending time in nature. Awareness of potential risks is essential for both users and bystanders, ensuring they are informed about privacy concerns, physical safety, and digital well-being in XR environments.