Policy Brief TAB-Fokus no. 19 »Virtual and augmented reality« provides a quick overview of development paths, application potential and technological implications as well as policy options and research needs in the field. Due to continuous performance increases and cost degression, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies are on the brink of being used in various professional and private fields of application. It is evident that these technologies will further advance the digitization of everyday life by stimulating new forms of social interaction, media use, consumption and entertainment. The TAB-Fokus no. 19 features the key findings of the TA project »Virtual and augmented reality – development paths, application potentials, technology impacts«. For the full report TAB-Arbeitsbericht Nr. 180, published in June 2019 after acceptance by the German Bundestag, please visit the German project page http://www.tab-beim-bundestag.de/de/untersuchungen/uV006.html.