From Lenses to Living Rooms: A Policy Brief on Eye Tracking in XR Before the Impending Boom

As tech giants such as Apple and Meta invest heavily in Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) technologies, often collectively termed Extended Reality (XR) devices, a significant societal concern emerges: The use of eye-tracking technology within these devices. Gaze data holds immense value, revealing insights into user attention, health, and cognitive states. This raises substantial concerns over privacy and fairness, with potential risks of targeted ads, unauthorized surveillance, and data re-purposing. As the impact of eye tracking is due to transition from the lab to the broader public, this paper underscores these pivotal issues in a digestible manner to the general audience. To this end, we first outline the eye-tracking data collection process and its potential for user insights. Second, we introduce perspectives from the domain of privacy, emphasizing its significance as a pivotal measure to guard against the improper use of eye-tracking data. Third, we provide a set of guidelines created by researchers actively working within this space. These recommendations are designed to guide policymakers and the general public toward establishing informed, equitable, and privacy-centric standards surrounding these devices.