ABSTRACT. Extended Reality (XR), including Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) is transforming the way citizens can engage with their government by using the new forms of virtual town halls as a novel way to give input into the affairs of the government. This study investigates the prospects of XR to increase accessibility, inclusivity, and security in government services. Virtual town halls take advantage of the immersive properties of XR to perform across geographic and physical boundaries and 67 percent of citizens reported taking a favorable view of the use of XR when it comes to engagement. These platforms, enhanced by game engine technologies such as Unity, create scalable, interactive settings that support 30 percent more interaction as opposed to fixed formats. Visualizations offered by XR include 3D models of cities, which enhance the understanding of challenging civic problems, and 8 out of 10 users endorse projects once exposed to AR. Nevertheless, some obstacles remain, such as the lack of internet coverage in 30 percent of rural premises and the cybersecurity threat of 85 percent of XR apps, which does not promote their wide usage. There is even the ethical component of this issue (fair access and data protection) that further complicates implementation, and 80 percent of the specialists support the tighter governance. There are extra barriers such as high set up costs (average 50 000 dollars) and training the user, needed by 60 percent of citizens. The paper suggests an integrative framework of XR into the sphere of public services that focuses on inclusive infrastructure and provided regulations. Results indicate that the XR technology can transform civic life only in case accessibility and security problems are tackled, and some ethical issues are resolved. Long-term effects and integration in rural areas should be the aim of future research to make sure XR will have a positive effect on various communities.

Keywords: extended reality; virtual town halls; civic engagement; public services; accessibility; cybersecurity; governance

How to cite: Almășan, C. M., & Țucmeanu, E. R. (2023). “Extended Reality in Public Services: Enhancing Civic Engagement through Virtual Town Halls,” Smart Governance 2(1): 22–37. doi: 10.22381/sg2120232.

Received 9 January 2023 • Received in revised form 22 March 2023
Accepted 24 March 2023 • Available online 28 March 2023