Who We Are
We are a collective of leaders, subject matter experts, and visionaries across industries and continents working to help build safe and inclusive experiences for children and adolescents using Extended Reality (XR) and the incoming Metaverse paradigm. Children start engaging with the internet and technology at a very young age without necessarily being aware of the risks associated with it. In the case of immersive experiences, young individuals are exposed to even additional challenges that should be addressed through a multidisciplinary approach.
We are committed to fostering the positive elements associated with the use of Extended Reality (XR) and protecting kids from the risks associated with it. We believe children can explore immersive worlds as long as they have consistent safety, security, and privacy measures in place to safeguard their experiences. By supporting the XR ecosystem with standards, awareness programs, research, and innovation specially designed to safeguard children, we can prevent risks and harm in such experiences, and with that, we fulfill our mission of creating safe immersive environments in immersive worlds.
We also provide guidance to empower families, teachers, and policymakers around emerging technologies to be more active and decisive in their roles.
HOW YOU CAN MAKE AN IMPACT
Calling all technology providers, parents, educators, government, and industry leaders:
Thirty years of online safety have taught us much about the potential harms and risks that can exist online, and it is urgent that we take the lessons learned from the current iteration of the internet and address these issues proactively. We have seen how manipulative ads, trolls, predators, and a lack of accountability create the opportunity for behaviors that target children and fuel real-life crimes such as bullying, violence, child pornography, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
Like you, we are also concerned and have a driving need to use our spheres of influence, skills, and passion to protect the interests and future of children worldwide. Help us be the first line of defense against the risks children will face when using Metaverse platforms and technologies by developing a unified framework and set of best practices.
Creating a collaborative framework (the Guardians and Shield Framework) can benefit both government and industry if we all work together to research, develop and apply standards that ensure the well-being of children worldwide and uphold it in our spheres of influence.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING?
XRSI is open to receiving input from multidisciplinary experts, researchers, industry leaders, non-profits, think tanks, governments, research labs, public and private organizations.
Option 1: To get involved and know more about our efforts dedicated to building the Guardians and Shield Framework, use the Contact Us form below or directly write an email to us at csi.outreach@xrsi.org.
Option 2: Join open community sessions to actively engage in knowledge sharing and discussions throughout the project duration. These sessions will be held regularly until the project concludes, providing an excellent opportunity to stay updated with the latest developments. For details on how to participate and receive updates, kindly refer to the notion link provided.
Guardians & Shield Framework Kick-Off Session | Aug. 25, 2023
Metaverse Magazine: A collaboration by International Child Art Foundation and XRSI’s Child Safety Initiative
Do you want to know how the new generation experiences and engages with the Metaverse? Don’t miss this opportunity to discover their amazing world!
We are excited and proud to share that XRSI has been instrumental in creating the latest July-Sept edition of ChildArt Magazine, called “Metaverse,” by the prestigious International Child Art Foundation (ICAF).
What’s Inside?
▶ Learn from 8 experts in technology, psychology, and policy.
▶ Enjoy the diverse, creative perspectives of children from different countries.
▶ Admire the stunning artwork made by these young talents using advanced GenAI tools.
We are very grateful to our wonderful contributing writers and team who put this together— Kavya Pearlman, Louis Rosenberg, Jessica Stone, Luis Bravo Martins, Cathy Hackl, Katherine Sessions, Catherine Knibbs, and Danica Radovanović, Ashfaq Ishaq, Jessica Ray, Katty Gerami, Archa Malhotra, Bhanujeet Choudhary, Evan Thorn, Hanyin Ma, and Sun Zhishuo.
RESOURCES
Captain Cuttle and The Quest for Virtual Safety!
On this adventure into Virtual Worlds together we will go on a Quest for Safety for all explorers. Together we will make sure everyone, even your friends and family. Read the Explorer Notes so we can all play safe.
VR Safety Tips for Parents:
7 XRSI Recommendations
If you are a parent, a teacher, or a guardian, you may be confused about whether VR is safe for children. There are several ways for you to enable safe exploration of VR technology, with a key understanding in mind: It is your responsibility to guide your kids to facilitate safe, responsible, and healthy relationships with VR. With an objective to help facilitate safe exploration of VR for kids, XRSI has put together Top 7 Safety Tips for parents.
CONTACT US
XRSI’s Child Safety Initiative is growing and we welcome your contribution! Please reach out and help us build safer and healthier emerging technologies!
