Understanding Parents' Perceptions and Practices Toward Children's Security and Privacy in Virtual Reality
Jiaxun Cao, Abhinaya S B, Anupam Das, Pardis Emami-Naeini
IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy 2024 · Day 2 · Continental Ballroom 4
This talk, presented by Jiaxun Cao from Duke University on behalf of co-authors Abhinaya S B, Anupam Das, and Pardis Emami-Naeini, delves into a critical and under-researched area: parents' understanding and management of their children's security and privacy (S&P) within Virtual Reality (VR) environments. With the rapid increase in children under 18 engaging with VR technologies and companies actively working to lower age limits for usage, concerns surrounding children's digital well-being and safety have escalated. While much prior research has focused on general well-being issues like harassment and inappropriate content in VR's age-mixed environments, the specific S&P risks and parental mitigation strategies have remained largely unexplored.
AI review
This qualitative study rigorously explores parents' perceptions and practices regarding children's S&P in VR, identifying a critical knowledge gap. It provides actionable insights for VR companies, parents, and policymakers by highlighting the disparity between perceived physical and abstract S&P risks, and the underutilization of passive controls. The research offers a foundational understanding for building safer VR environments for young users.