Beyond Affirmative Consent: Creating Alternative Models for Consent to Computer-Mediated Sexual Activity Through Social VR for Online Dating

Despite the absence of consent being a defining quality of computer-mediated sexual harm, there is an absence of consent models that explicitly prescribe how consent to sexual activity should be asked for, given, and denied when mediated by technology. HCI literature has advocated for the adoption of affirmative consent (''yes means yes''); however, this model was created in 1991 without consideration for computers and has been historically underutilized. Through a speculative study of VR dating with 16 women and LGBTQIA+ stakeholders, we contribute archetypes of four new computer-mediated consent models for sexual activity. These include 1) visual consent through AR/VR rather than verbal dialogue, 2) agent-mediated consent where AI agents communicate consent on behalf of sexual partners, 3) a two-layer consent process called consent-to-stimulus, and 4) environmental consent where virtual environments scaffold behaviors that can(not) be consented to. We conclude by reflecting on which models could potentially supplant affirmative consent to better mitigate computer-mediated sexual violence and harassment. Content warning: This paper discusses forms of sexual violence including rape.