New virtual reality and augmented reality (XR collectively) developments are poised to reconfigure commerce, enterprise, education, and entertainment. McKinsey projects that the metaverse could reach $5 trillion in value by 2030. In the wake of investment, it is clear that this new wave of spatial computing is more than a fad or a mere gaming platform.

As legal scholars, it is vital to examine how XR hardware and immersive experiences may impact users and their communities. What do we know and what is still unknown about how XR interfaces affect our bodies and minds? What is next in product development? How should neuroscience and behavioral science guide the formation of XR regulation, policy, and law?

Like the internet before it, the metaverse will be governed by preexisting legal regimes. How will IP, privacy law, torts, and criminal law apply to the metaverse? What are the foundational questions that need to be considered, especially with passthrough XR, hybrid web-verse interfaces, and new financial systems? What novel challenges will emerge from users’ behavior in immersive experiences?

Early efforts at social VR experiences have been beset by harms like sexual harassment, hate speech, and digital assaults. Who should make the rules for virtual worlds -- regulators, creators or platforms? How should this differ from social media content moderation regimes? What possibilities exist for intra-platform and cross-platform governance?

Finally, nations will be expected to interact with the metaverse, just as they maintain online presences and exercise oversight over online activities. How will XR activity impact offline governance? What are the possibilities for trade, cybersecurity, international relations, and civic services? What role should the industry take in self-regulation? Will XR be covered by standards for artificial intelligence and responsible innovation, and if so, how should this be implemented?

January 5:

All times in PST.

5 pm - 6 pm Happy Hour at Cafe Pro Bono, 2437 Birch St, Palo Alto

• Demos and tutorial on XR headsets and AR glasses available

6 pm - 8 pm Speaker's Dinner and Speaker

• Philip Rosedale, Founder of Linden Lab

January 6:

All times in PST.

8 am - 10 am Morning activity (FULL)

• Tour of Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab, Building 120, McClatchy Hall, Room 411

• Tour of Stanford classroom in the metaverse

Breakfast will be provided for tour participants in Building 120 McClatchy Hall, Room 452

Conference Registration at Stanford University, Jen-Hsun Huang Engineering Center,

room 300 (Mackenzie Room)

Breakfast for all participants served at Mackenzie Room

10:15 am - 11 am Keynote: Fundamentals and Emerging Issues in XR

• Jeremy Bailenson, Stanford University

11 am - 11:45 am Panel 1: XR, Constitutional Law, and Criminal Law

• Joseph Palmer, US Department of Justice

• Amie Stephanovich, Future on Privacy Forum

• Eugene Volokh, UCLA Law School

11:45 am - 12:15 pm Coffee break

Please grab your lunch

12:15 pm - 12:30 pm Lightning Talk, Philosophical Frameworks for the Metaverse

• Kent Bye, Voices of VR

12:30 pm - 1:15 pm Panel 2: New Technology, Old Property Laws

• Mark Lemley, Stanford Law School

• Tiffany Li, University of New Hampshire Law School

• Micaela Mantegna, University of San Andres

• Michael Running Wolf, McGill University

1:15 pm - 1:45 pm Lightning talks: Medical uses of XR

• Brennan Spiegel, Cedars-Sinai Hospital

• Aubrey Shick, Food and Drug Administration

1:45 pm - 2:30 pm Panel 3: Regulating Virtual Worlds

• Susan Aaronson, George Washington University

• Jean-Noël Barrot, Government of France

• Daniel Castano, Universidad Externado de Colombia

• Florence G'Sell Macrez, Sciences Po

2:30 pm - 2:45 pm Lightning talk, A Deep Dive into Eye-tracking in XR

• Avi Bar-Zeev, The XR Guild

2:45 pm - 3:00 pm 15 minute coffee break

3:00 pm - 3:45 pm Panel 4: New Harms, Old Torts

• Mary Anne Franks, University of Miami Law School

• Joe Jerome, Meta Reality Labs

• Erick Ramirez, Santa Clara University

• Jameson Spivack, Future on Privacy Forum

3:45 pm - 4 pm Lightning Talk, Political Speech and XR

• Scott Bloomberg, University of Maine Law School

4 pm - 4:15 pm 15 minute break

4:15 pm - 4:30 pm Lightning Talk, Privacy and XR

• Mark Miller, Stanford Virtual Human Interactivity Lab

4:30 pm - 5:15 pm Panel 5: Generative Content, AI and XR

• Henry Ajder, Independent Expert

• Brittan Heller, Stanford Cyber Policy Center

• Kim Malfacini, Open AI

5:15 pm - 5:30 pm Lightning Talk, Funding Future Research in XR

• Burcu Kilic, Minderoo Foundation

• Eli Sugarman, Schmidt Futures

6 pm Closing Dinner in foyer, outside Mackenzie Room

Thank you for signing up for our upcoming Existing Law and Extended Reality Symposium at Stanford Cyber Policy Center. We are excited to see you, virtually or in-person, on January 5-6th.

ATTENDANCE

* In-person events have been limited in number due to Covid safety. If you have Covid symptoms or have been exposed to Covid, please change your participation to virtual attendance.

* If you registered for the conference and you are now unable to make it in-person, please let us know by emailing bzr@stanford.edu and re-registering on the zoom webinar link. We will be able to change your attendance to virtual participation.

VHIL TOUR

* The lab tour attendees will be notified on December 29th and the remaining people will be placed on a waiting list. If you signed up and did not receive a confirmation email, then we regrettably were unable to fit you on the tour.

LOCATION & REGISTRATION

* The Conference Registration at Stanford University, Jen-Hsun Huang Engineering Center, room 300 (Mackenzie Room). Please reference this map and parking information to help you find the location.

* Breakfast for all participants served at the Mackenzie Room, starting at 8am.

* You will be able to get your symposium registration materials on-site, starting at 8am.

FOOD

* While all may join us for the tech demos and happy hour on January 5th, the speakers' dinner service is limited to speakers only.

* On January 6th, breakfast and lunch will be provided, along with snacks and coffee breaks. Please join us for an on-site dinner for all attendees following the conference.

DAY-OF CONTACT

Contact bzr@stanford.edu if you run into difficulties.

Thank you and we're looking forward to seeing you!