VR Porn’s Potential Social and Ethical Concerns
Researchers from Newcastle University presented their research on new studies regarding how VR tech is changing how people experience virtual pornography in the future, and the increasing impact and influence of VR technology on society. Particularly, the potential negative impact and issues that might surface as virtual reality tech advances. More details visit this article.
Below are more concerns regarding potential social and ethical issues expressed and raised by researchers, sex therapist and psychiatrist:
Exposure of Privacy & Info Leak
VR porn studios such CamaSutra have launched experimental projects integrating VR porn with mocap technology to rig 3D avatar in VR porn content. In the future, as users enter the virtual realm using their rigged 3D avatars, more personal information, lifestyle clue and information would be exposed. Researchers has expressed concern that when user’s 3D avatar mirrors the movement, the user’s private information could be tracked by hackers. More information on this page.
As VR porn becomes more popular, more headset owners are actually willing to pay to watch the content. VR adult sites are obvious targets for hackers, sex game platform SinVR was one of targets. User’s information and viewing habits were leaked. More on this page.
Sex Doll and AI Robot Addiction
CamSoda has launched a partnership with realistic sex doll maker to introduce virtual sex simulation using VR porn content with Real Doll, which means, VR sex experience just got even more realistic and interactive with Real Doll’s life-size high-end sex dolls. We can already imagine that this combination could become highly addictive to some users.
VR Porn Replace Real Human Sex
Some experts worries that VR porn will replace human’s need for real sex. However, we’d disagree, because as humans, we are designed to enjoy being touched by another human.
VR porn can be as real as it gets, but once we step outside, the fantasy would end, and we are back into the real world. Some people would use it as a temporary escape from real world, just like how some watch 2D porn to escape. But it is not likely to replace real physical sex with another human being, nothing beats the real thing!
physical contact with other people. Some people will undoubtedly use VR porn as an escape from interpersonal interaction. But most will just use it the same way they use other pornography—or even video games or smartphones—to entertain themselves, blow off steam, and escape for a few minutes.
The CTO from sex toy maker Kiiroo puts quite well:
“VR does not provide people with a perfect sexual experience or encounter. Although immersive and realistic, it does not replace the intimacy, anticipation, and feeling of real sex.”
Potential Unethical Usage
Some of the key concerns around VR porn are that people will create violent, intrusive, revenge porn, videos depicting sexual assault, or use it to perform acts on virtual versions of their partners that those partners would not consent to in real life. Clearly, these have some ethical implications. But focusing on these negative aspects fails to examine the technology—and its capabilities—in a holistic way.
Some will use VR porn as a way to fulfill unrealistic, possibly abusive sexual encounters. There will inevitably be some people who use or see adult VR as way to act abusively or inappropriately. But most people use VR to interact with a virtual environment in a positive way.
