XRSI is leading the effort to build responsible, safe, and inclusive XR and Metaverse-related Information and Communication Technology ecosystems.
Accomplishing this goal requires understanding the views, emotions, hopes, and concerns of those who can directly impact these ecosystems—like policymakers and executives—and of the people whose lives will be impacted by their decisions, who also are an integral part of the solution. We can’t build a better Internet unless we learn from past mistakes, innovate responsibly, and join forces together to create an Open, Safe, and Inclusive Metaverse.
To understand audience needs and determine how best to serve them, we will gather relevant information that helps our approach and goals. This demands a transparent approach to research and a contemporary set of principles to inform that process.
Our foundational responsible research principles will drive our work. Research responsibility in this context pertains to the safety of participants’ data, the privacy of participant information, and the ethics that shape our engagement with participants.
These guidelines are also fully compliant with The Insights Association Code of Standards and Ethics (the “Code”), which is based on the codes of founding organizations, as well as global partners and other national associations, embracing and affirming principles common to them.
Eight responsible research principles will drive our research:
- Consistency
XRSI and all official XRSI Responsible Research Partners will follow transparent and collaborative research practices prioritizing data privacy, security, and transparency.
- Privacy
Researchers will not collect Personally Identifiable Information (PII) from participants. If there’s a compelling research-based justification to collect PII, the circulation of PII will be limited to the minimum number of researchers, will be effectively encrypted, and will be destroyed within one year of the conclusion of any given study.
- Consent
All participants, regardless of how they’re engaged, will only be included in a study if they grant their full, voluntary, and informed consent. This principle will apply completely to real-time interviews and focus groups in digital research.
- Transparency
Participants will be fully informed regarding the intended use/s of collected data. Personal data will never be sold to other parties or directly employed to generate revenue.
- Dialogue
All research will be conducted in the spirit of community-building. Participants will be invited to join an ongoing conversation about the future of the Metaverse and important areas of focus for XRSI’s work.
- Representation
Whenever possible, research participants will reflect the diversity of those audiences whose lives will be impacted by the emergence of the Metaverse.
- Empathy
The research will, as fully as possible, attend to the language and world views of participants. The goal is to respectfully bring to life the beliefs, hopes, and concerns of various audiences regarding the Metaverse.
- Responsiveness
If our research approaches fail to meet these standards, even unintentionally, we will change course.
