The Application of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Technologies in Countering Terrorism and Preventing Violent Extremism
On 8 July 2021, the External Partnerships Section of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), in collaboration with the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, hosted a webinar on “the application of augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) technologies in countering terrorism (CT) and preventing violent extremism (PVE)”.
The webinar brought together 24 experts from law enforcement, academia, non-governmental organizations and the private sector who discussed the practical and theoretical implications of integrating these emerging technologies into CT/PVE efforts. Participants also examined underlying ethical issues associated with their use, including the protection of privacy and potential misuse of these technologies by terrorists and violent extremist groups.
The webinar aimed to sensitize counter-terrorism experts to the risks and opportunities of using AR/VR technologies. It also helped foster collaboration and information sharing between law enforcement, academia, non-governmental organizations and the private sector that contribute to the development of policies and programmatic activities related to the use of AR/VR technologies in CT/PCVE at the national, regional and international levels.
A strong emphasis was placed on the importance of whole-of-society and whole-of-government approaches to using these new technologies. The webinar also underlined the key role of youth in technological innovation and designing CT/PVE programmatic frameworks.
More than 1,000 attendees followed the live discussions and were able to interact with panelists, including via .
