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By Xavier Mohr, Publisher
SLReports.net
SECOND LIFE, SL REPORTS, 19 AUGUST 2007 - The launch of one of Second Life's most innovative new products, "SLBrowser," has created a lot of buzz among Second Lifers, with many claiming it is destined to be the "Google of the Grid." SLBrowser is a HUD system in which users can enter keyword searches that in turn bring up results of items and locations across Second Life. What alarms many, however, is that the autobots that index the Second Life user grid are not really that discriminatory with the items that they input in their database. "I just did a search in SLBrowser on several medication conditions, including AIDS, HIV, etc, and found people who had material on these and other conditions in their [virtual] homes, which might be some indication of their medical status in RL," said one concerned user in an email to SL Reports Publisher Xavier Mohr. "I was also able to ascertain an avatar's likely sexual orientation or activities by looking at the material that come up in their homes." "I think that once people hear that SLBrowsers bots are rifling through their houses, they will hit the roof. This story will be bigger than copybot," he added. Indeed, when I obtained a copy of the SLBrowser system myself, I was alarmed to find that a search of my name brought up most objects that own, and even disclosed the location of my unlisted, private office where I do SLReports.net and SL Capital Exchange business. I will continue to work towards getting feedback from the makers of the new product in an effort to clarify the matter. Please stay tuned to SLReports.net for more information.
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