When people use a VR headset, biometric data is collected to create avatars. Even though that data may not be used to uniquely identify that person, the act of scanning their face may be considered the collection of personally identifiable information (PII) under certain laws, according to Jameson Spivack, senior policy analyst, immersive technologies, Future of Privacy Forum.

To protect themselves and consumers, some marketers pursuing more sustainable metaverse strategies are choosing not to collect personal data in the metaverse at all, while others use first-party data collected from digital campaigns to link to metaverse experiences.

Caution around data collection is especially prudent “when it comes to the child- and teen-specific laws, which may require things like age verification, or even allowing parents to access their children’s social media accounts,” said Spivack.

Read more:

Ostwal, T. (2023, March). Agencies Adopt a Cautious Approach to Gathering Metaverse Data. AdWeek. https://www.adweek.com/programmatic/agencies-adopt-a-cautious-approach-to-gathering-metaverse-data/