CAREER: Perceptual Modeling for Deceptive Patterns in Immersive Virtual Environments

Immersive virtual and augmented reality technology is increasingly used to support entertainment and socialization applications. However, manipulative or deception techniques in virtual and augmented environments are rapidly developing and present a risk to user autonomy, privacy, and livelihood. This project explores emerging manipulative designs, develops models of their effects on user decision-making, and builds tools for detecting deceptive patterns in these environments. This project investigates risks from the perspective of visual perception, modeling how user gaze behavior responds to manipulative visual stimuli. The project establishes gaze guidance techniques that make use of perceptual response to motion in the user’s periphery to guide attention and evaluate the resulting risk of deception. The project team is developing methods that support the detection of deceptive designs by leveraging sensor data across virtual and augmented applications. Project findings will inform future developers of these applications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2542795 | Program: 01003031DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT,01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT,01002930DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Brendan David-John | Institution: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, BLACKSBURG, VA | Award Amount: $418,293 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2542795 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2542795.html