Advocates push privacy framework for extended-reality industry

Biometrics-heavy augmented-reality could be nearing a Wild West period, when development outpaces regulations or even commonsense safety policies.

But it doesn’t have to go that route and, indeed, it shouldn’t, according to U.S. think-tank and advocacy the Future of Privacy Forum. Biometrics scanning, monitoring and analysis are going to be more deeply intrinsic to extended-reality than to almost any other post-2000 information technology.

The Washington, D.C., group is pushing its idea of a risk framework for the growing industry.

For the uninitiated, immersive information systems are expected to evolve to monitor all body identifiers and functions open to measurement in polite society and a few that aren’t. Privacy needs to be a paramount concern, according to the forum.

Biometric identifiers being eyed by developers include the usual – face, voice, eye and hands. Increasingly, newer metrics are being tapped, including a person’s vital signs, body positioning, limbs, neural activity and even body sounds in general. The paper also makes note of the concept of “biometric psychography,” which measures reactions to stimuli over time.

The forum’s framework is simple and should be familiar to anyone trying to commercialize and information technology by now.

The first stage calls for understanding how an organization handles personal data. The second is analysis of relevant legal frameworks and enforcing regulatory compliance.

Stage 3 is identifying and assessing risks presented to individuals, communities and society. And last, implementing best business practices.

Article Topics

augmented reality  |  biometric data  |  biometric identifiers  |  biometric psychography  |  data privacy  |  Future of Privacy Forum  |  regulation