by Melissa Amorós-Lark and Marco Correa Pérez, Leiden University, the Netherlands.
When we talk about the future of extended reality (XR), it is tempting to picture dazzling headsets, lifelike virtual environments and the thrill of stepping into another world. Yet for XR to truly benefit society, we need more than cutting-edge hardware and creative content. We need to make sure these technologies are governed responsibly, inclusively and with the public interest at heart.
XR is no longer a distant promise. From workplace training to museum exhibitions, from surgical simulation to remote collaboration, immersive experiences are entering our daily lives. Decisions about how XR is governed will shape not only the technology itself but also the trust people place in it.
This is where our work at Leiden University’s Learning and Innovation Centre (LLInC) within the XR4Human project comes in. XR4Human brings together universities, companies, and user groups to build European standards for ethical, human-centred XR. Our goal is to help every European citizen and organisation make the most of XR’s potential while protecting rights, fostering trust and ensuring fairness.
Understanding the Rules of the Game
At Leiden, our focus has been on Work Package 3, which looks at the regulatory and governance issues surrounding XR. This work began with mapping how XR is already being used across sectors such as media and entertainment, healthcare, education, urban planning and more. In this first report, we examined both the opportunities and the risks these technologies bring in each context, drawing on the perspectives of industry players, public authorities, and end users.
From there, we reviewed the existing European legal landscape in our second report. We analysed how privacy law, intellectual property rules, consumer protection, competition law, media regulation, cybersecurity, accessibility and anti-discrimination measures intersect with XR. We found that while many rules already apply, there are significant challenges in interpreting and adapting them to immersive technologies. There are also gaps where there is no certainty which regulation is applicable.
Without thoughtful policy, we risk repeating mistakes made with earlier waves of digital innovation, where the speed of technological change outpaced safeguards for privacy, safety and fairness. With the right roadmap, we can build a strong and competitive XR ecosystem in Europe that has ethics and inclusivity built in from the start. For this reason, we are working on the third step of this Work Package, a policy roadmap. This report will summarise the key regulatory issues that could affect XR development, set out priority areas for attention, and suggest ways to adapt or create rules that are fit for immersive environments.
From challenges to solutions
Building on these findings, and in other reports produced in the project, we led the work for a comprehensive report for Work Package 5, which took all the previous output and turned the focus to the challenges and solutions from the perspective of different stakeholders. This meant listening directly to the voices of developers, users, regulators, educators, and industry leaders to understand their needs, concerns and priorities.
This report does not simply list issues. It brings together ethical, legal, regulatory and technical interoperability solutions in one coherent framework. This work sets the foundation for the XR4Human Code of Conduct by ensuring it reflects the realities on the ground and addresses the concerns of those who will use, build, and regulate XR. In other words, this is a project both by stakeholders and for stakeholders. We have been part of the core team drafting this code. Last summer, LLInC hosted a working session with our partners in The Hague, where we started drafting the Code of Conduct, which will be finished in the upcoming weeks.
An invitation
We would love you to be part of this conversation. The XR4Human Code of Conduct Conference will bring together researchers, developers, policymakers, educators, and anyone interested in the responsible future of immersive technologies. By joining, you can hear first-hand about the Code of Conduct and the policy roadmap, contribute your perspective, and help shape the standards that will guide XR for years to come.
Secure your place through this link: Conference Registration Form
- Date: 30 September 2025
- Time: Starting at 10:00
- Location: Albert Borschette Conference Center, Rue Froissart 36, Brussels, Belgium
Join the XR4Human Code of Conduct Conference and be part of creating a future for XR that is not only innovative but also ethical, inclusive and trusted.
Authors
Marco Correa Pérez, Legal & Technology Counsel at Leiden Learning and Innovation Centre (LLInC), Leiden University, The Netherlands
