A Call for Auditable Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality

XR (Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality) technologies are growing in prominence. However, they are increasingly being used in sectors and in situations that can result in harms. As such, this paper argues the need for auditability to become a key consideration of XR systems. Auditability entails capturing information of a system’s operation to enable oversight, inspection or investigation. Things can and will go wrong, and information that helps unpack situations of failure or harm, and that enables accountability and recourse, will be crucial to XR’s adoption and acceptance. In drawing attention to the urgent need for auditability, we illustrate some risks associated with XR technology and their audit implications, and present some initial findings from a survey with developers indicating the current ‘haphazard’ approach towards such concerns. We also highlight some challenges and considerations of XR audit in practice, as well as areas of future work for taking this important area of research forward.