- Treat virtual embodiment with the weight of physical presence. When a user’s virtual body is threatened or violated, the brain can perceive it as real because the perceptual physicality of AR/VR gives harassers troubling new ways to attack[1]
- Consider proxemics when designing and comprehending virtual space.A social measurementof distance from the body that can be used to define and comprehend space. Proxemics (a social measurement of distance from the body) can be used to define and comprehend all space—including virtual. Using proxemic space definitions, dialogues, and interactions akin to real world expectations can be applied intoSocial VR spaces and designs[2]
- Always communicate consent. To find these familiar interactions and dialogues, it is recommended to look at consent acquisition paradigms in the real world. Once consent patterns are selected: set expectations, give agency, and enforce [3].
- Provide quick-action remediation tools for tough situations. Incorporate simple communication gestures and easy-access shortcuts to allow users quick-action remediation, allowing users in high-stress situations to quickly report a problematic experience without interrupting or further degrading their experience [4].
- Allow users to define their preferences before social interactions begin. Empower people to customize the types of experiences they are willing to have. Provide granular controls that are easy to access and surfaced before harassment can occur [5].
- Establish local behavior expectations. Introduce local behavior expectations in VR social spaces by creating conduct codes customized to the activities of the space and weaving them into the fabric of the space [6].
This list is curated from one of the IEEE standard reports and authored by Michelle Cortese and Jessica Outlaw in 2021 [ Link to Full Article ]
References:
[1] M. Slater, D. Perez-Marcos, H. H. Ehrsson, and M. V. Sanchez-Vives, “Inducing illusory ownership of a virtual body,” Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2009, doi: 10.3389/neuro.01.029.2009. [2] E.T. Hall, “A System for the Notation of Proxemic Behavior,” Am. Anthropol., 1963, doi: 10.1525/aa.1963.65.5.02a00020. [3] M. Cortese and A. Zeller, “Designing Safe Spaces for Virtual Reality: Methods for Merging Body Sovereignty Theory into VR Design Practice,” in Ethics in Design and Communication, 2020. [4] M. Dan-Cohen, “Responsibility and the boundaries of the self,” Harv. Law Rev., 1992, doi: 10.2307/1341517. [5] R. Schroeder, “Social Interaction in Virtual Environments: Key Issues, Common Themes, and a Framework for Research,” 2002. [6] Jessica Outlaw, “The Pillars of Culture Creation in Social VR,” THE EXTENDED MIND, 2020.https://www.extendedmind.io/the-extended-mind-blog/2020/12/07/2020-11-30-building-culture-in- social-vr (accessed Sep. 20, 2021).