Ethical Aspects in a Virtual Reality Environment

This article aims to present, comment and discuss ethical principles that have been the subject of studies in the field of virtual reality and its application in simulations for teaching or training, having in mind the significant growth of this modality in the educational environment, academic or not. The literature points to the moral concern with virtual reality, not only because of the potential risks to mental health, risks to privacy, the possibility of increasing the level of negligence related to the real environment and dangers considering cognitive manipulation, but teach ethical principles effectively, to the extent that these tools should represent a way to learn how to deal with real-life emotional and moral challenges. The growing and undeniable importance of using virtual reality to improve the quality and safety of simulation in education and training requires answers to new ethical questions, regarding the need for a specific code of conduct and accountability for content and its consequences, supported by codes of ethics of the entities representing and regulating professional activities related to this area.