SLB5 Second Life Birthday #5 - A glimpse into the future of Second Life?

SLB5 Second Life Birthday #5 - A glimpse into the future of Second Life?

At Massively.comEverett Linden said the following:

“Everett Linden said...
Hey everyone...there's a lot of misunderstanding here, so let me try to articulate our policy here.

Child avatars are welcome at the celebration. However, we do respectfully decline the submissions we received to create exhibits for the event.

Goreans, role-players, and members of the multitude of international communities are all welcome, and I hope you come. “

Followed by many resident posting on the Second Life Blog Linden Lab somewhat awkwardly retracted the statement of Everett. At least I believe on the surface they tried to retract the statement without saying flat out that the child avatar community builds were welcome. Linden Lab is really good at saying a lot without saying anything at all. One of my biggest complaints. Simple is best, why is that so hard for them to understand.

Of course this leaves me wondering what exactly prompted Linden Lab to single out the Child Avatar community? I found it also very odd that Everett welcomed the Gorean community over the Child Avatar communities.

Child Avatars have made the news lately when some adult avatars were found to be having virtual sex with the child avatars. Keep in mind even the child avatars are in reality and real life adults. Don’t get me wrong I think that even role-playing child and adult sex, is wrong, and in my opinion perverse. Linden Lab did take it upon themselves to change the TOS and that type of behavior is now a ban-able offense.

Child avatars are allowed on the main adult grid. These folks are simply adults pretending to be children for a multitude of reasons. Reliving their childhood, having a family unit, playing as children ect. I am not about to judge these ppl as I know at least one of them and my personal experience was sitting with a child dinosaur and hugging and singing lullabies and it was all perfectly innocent. I made another human being feel loved if only for a moment and all it took was me sitting quietly with that person in their role-playing world. At no time was my encounter with this child avatar sexual in nature. Most child avatar communities are simply role-playing “family”, big deal.

However Linden Lab did single this community out and that raises a red flag with me. Especially given in the same statement that the Gorean community was welcome. The Gorean community is very much about sex but all of the literature in world is a direct copy right infringement. As the author never gave permission for his work to be copied in world. So what exactly is Linden Lab implying here. That families are not welcome in Second Life but that those who are; overtly sexual; BSDM, submissive and dominate and rip the work of real life authors are? Well that’s just wacky. Let me also state that I am not against the Gorean community either. Except the copyright infringement part. Those communities should be making up their own paperwork to live their Second Lives by.

Again I say at Linden Lab the left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing. Another fine PR mess.

It’s my opinion that Linden Lab is trying to hide the child avatar community from the media. “we know you exist we just don’t want the world to know you exist”. Linden Lab is also continuing to cleanse the grid by only allowing PG materials at their 5th anniversary. Unfortunately the majority of the grid is geared towards adult activities. I understand the desire on the part of Linden Lab to clean up their image hell I even agree that their image should be cleaned up.
My main concern is the perception of the community towards Linden Lab. Right now it’s a disastrous combination. The thought of Linden Lab making big announcements at the Anniversary bash makes me literally cringe. I am not looking forward to hearing about any sweeping changes. As every time there is a change it is to the detriment of the paying customer.

Cleansing the grid is only a matter of time Linden Lab has a need to be mainstream and appeal to the widest possible audience. Unfortunately those communities who are not deemed acceptable will be shoved in a closet and not spoke of in the future.

Proof is in the pudding or so they say;

Linden Lab now asks that we say “trade mark” every time we say Linden Lab or Second Life. We can no longer use the phrase “Your world, Your imagination.” We can no longer use their logo’s. Even though we were once very much encouraged to do all of the above.

Linden Lab took over the Gaming Open Market, and now they are in the residential themed community market. Guess they figured we were not doing a good enough job, Guess they figured they could do it better.

Guess they figure they know what is best for Second Life and who now belongs.

I already live under a government system, the thought of living under another one in a virtual world really doesn’t appeal to me. I do however see where Linden Lab is going with this. “We invite everyone to Second Life as long as you build what and how we want you to. We invite all different types of ppl as long as you do not speak out against Linden Lab. We love your imaginative spirit as long as it fits our long term goals. We value your input, but we will continue to do what is right for our company and the direction we wish to see the web go in. We need content creators and event managers as we have companies who will be needing your services. We want to see your fresh new ideas, so we can incorporate them into our web at some point in the future. Bring you’re A game, but expect to sit on the sidelines threw most of the big show.”

There are fair use laws. Linden Lab is based out of California, US. That is not a communist country.
Roughly 70% of Second Life is now international users.

Tread lightly Linden Lab you are either on the verge of a new social world or simply socialism.


Catherine

UPDATE: Gorean and BSDM also not allowed at the SLB5.
UPDATE: Some feel that LL is feeling political pressure to be a PG world.