The Council of Europe has hosted a conference exploring how extended reality technologies could affect human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Held in Strasbourg, France, from May 18 to 19, 2026, the Human Rights in Immersive Realities (XR): Freedom of Expression, Justice, Children’s Rights and Well-Being conference brought together representatives from member states, the European Court of Human Rights, academia, civil society and technology experts.
The event examined how immersive environments are reshaping areas including freedom of expression, freedom of thought, mental autonomy, children’s rights, age-appropriate design, justice and rehabilitation, mental health, neurotechnologies and emerging regulation.
For the AV and immersive technology sectors, the conference underlines the growing scrutiny facing XR as it moves further into education, cultural spaces, healthcare, training, justice and public-sector environments. Discussions highlighted both the opportunities and risks of immersive technologies, with participants stressing the need for human rights safeguards to evolve alongside innovation.
The conference built on work by the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Media and Information Society, including its recently adopted feasibility study on the benefits and challenges to freedom of expression in immersive realities.
Organised under the auspices of the Monaco Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the event was developed in cooperation with the European Metaverse Research Network and Open Council of Europe Academic Networks. It combined policy discussions with academic contributions, poster presentations and hands-on XR demonstrations.
The Council of Europe said the conference forms part of its wider efforts to anticipate the impact of emerging technologies and promote human-rights-based approaches to digital innovation.
Images: Sandro Weltin, via Council of Europe