Demystifying the Privacy-Realism Dilemma in the Metaverse

Metaverse is a form of next-generation human-computer interaction, integrating Virtual and Augmented Reality to create immersive social experiences. However, the inherent expansion of human-computer interfaces in the Metaverse inevitably expands the interface of potential privacy leaks. There exists a dilemma between providing a realistic user experience and mitigating the elevated privacy risks that accompany it. Such dilemma remains underexplored by both industry and academia, despite their significant investments in developing applications and enhancing user experiences. In this study, we systematically examine this dilemma across different Metaverse usage scenarios and perform a study involving 177 users to understand the factors that may affect users' decision making. Our findings reveal that user preferences regarding realism and privacy protection vary significantly depending on the context of usage scenarios. We expect our study results can provide some insights and guidance for the design of privacy protection mechanisms in Metaverse platforms and applications.