With virtual world’s forming into the next big thing on the horizon, the real world is starting to play catch up. Traffic stats are increasing and the money pouring into virtual worlds is starting to translate into real world money that cannot be ignored. Just recently a report was released by Screencast.com, a business research and intelligence gathering company, that listed subscription sales for online virtual worlds rising to $526,000,000 in the US market in 2006 alone.

With all this money pouring into the virtual worlds and attention being given to these markets, entrepreneurs and business minds come alive. Just as if it were in the 1800’s and dreamers were running into the California gold rush, people are now running to virtual worlds for entertainment and business.

With business savvy and genius creations comes the bad side of the virtual world progression of litigation, scams and regulations. Lawsuits and discussions are rising in the area of virtual worlds and if real world laws and government regulations apply to these new worlds. 

After a TOS changing settlement against Linden Lab, it looks like Marc Bragg had chosen a new target. The phrase "land aquired via the use of landbots, without the seller's consent" doesn't look like it has a leg to stand on, however, since land owners in SL are asked "three times" if they're "sure" they want to sell their land. I would imagine that the seller of the land has given consent, after being asked that many times. 

From the story: "We are investigating the level of interest from landowners harmed by the use of “land bots” within Second Life in obtaining a Court order preventing any further use of such technology and a judgment for damages on behalf of all persons harmed. 

 If you are interested in being a part of this action, and/or can assist the Class in obtaining relief; i.e., you have any evidence (which could include images of land bots in action, names of avatars that own land bots, names of avatars that own landbots on your land after acquisition, website URLSs listing land that was obtained by land bots for sale, chat logs, ims, copies of land bot scripts, etc.), or have been a victim by land bots, please join the Group titled: “Class Action to Stop Land Bots”, send a note card to Marc Woebegone, and/or email what information you have to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (Marc Woebegone) at your earliest convenience."

From Gaia, a Japanese anime-inspired site, to vSide, a hip nightclub scene, they represent the latest way people are interacting through the Internet. Users create alter-ego avatars to navigate these online worlds, where they meet and hang out with other people, go shopping, watch movies, even start a business.

And they're live: Day and night, they change as people join in.

Though the idea is not new, the technology and the business to support these virtual worlds are starting to catch up. And now a new generation, inspired in part by Linden Lab of San Francisco's Second Life, is starting to evolve.