No, this isn’t yet another call to arms for child avatars; it’s a footprint of what went wrong regarding the SL5B. Most of the grid is confused beyond all recovery. Likewise I don’t think Linden Lab knows what they have done, nor how to retract what they've done, much like President Bush not knowing how to say 'derr I messed up' and pull out of the war. As we log onto the Second Life main website page, we read 'Second Life, is an online 3D world imagined and created by its Residents.' is proudly placed on the Second Life front page, but most residents would disagree with the statement, especially the Gorean, BDSM, and mostly kid avatar community.

With the upcoming Second Life 5th year Birthday, most of the community that usually labors away to produce a fifth year of celebration, is met with opposition and the banning of three major bread-winning communities in Second Life by Linden Labs themselves. Since I know nothing about BDSM or Gor, I will not say anything on the matter. I’m sure they get enough misguided comments to add one more would be like salt on an open wound. I’m not a fan of misrepresentation, so on with something I do know about: SL Kids.

The decisions of Linden Labs to exclude persons from a public celebration not only caused few people to step down from their SL5B planning team (Ariel Otafuku and SignpostMarv Martin to name a few familiar faces), but has lit any and all blogs on fire with rants, discussions, and proposed solutions from both sides of the world. How did this happen? Congressional Representative Mark Kirk decided that Second Life was “a risk for children, who could be sexually, exploited" That’s a noble cause however, when all it takes to receive a ban is 'under aged user’. Who would willingly put that information out there? No one in their right mind, that’s who. So how can you find children to prey on...if none technically ‘exist’ on the mature game? More interestingly Mr. Kirk actually documented himself saying ‘he knew of no cases in which children were targeted by sexual predators on Second Life, but he said he considers the virtual world an emerging danger.’ Well yeah, but I think more people have killed themselves over Myspace in the past month. To top that off, Kirk’s aide was actually ‘perusing pornography and roaming in "virtual rape rooms" and drug dens.’ Well if you’re looking for it, you’ll find it. Second Life is, after all, one gigantic 3D Google. So if you have a 10 year old logging onto Second Life, chances are you failed as a parent and should keep a closer eye on them while they use the computer. I’ll agree that Second Life is no place for a young child, but as for adults playing children in Second Life, I don’t see an issue just as long as they remember that they portray innocence…and not another way to make a quick buck down at the red-light district (eww…ew ew)

Likewise, 99.9% of the Child Avatar Community (one that I am proud to be apart of) participates in what any child does in real life. They roll out from under their Scooby Do covers, trudge down to a bowl of cereal that momma pours for them, get chased around the house because they don’t want to go to school. Once they finally get to school they spend half of the time in class the other time they spend skipping the lagfest known as recess in the nurse’s office. Then after they get done they hang around school to talk to friends, plan parties, schedule school events, play the ‘my mom is better than your mom’, then they go home to their parents who ask about their day. After homework and dinner the family goes and plays outside in either their yard or a place with neat roller coaster rides until everyone gets bored or sleepy. They wish each other goodnight and log off. Some kids build furniture, design outfits, or hang out with friends before they too log out. Notice how nowhere in that did I say anything icky, minus of course the lag bit. I cant tell you how many times I’ve been building in a PG, Linden run sandbox and had the most -disgusting- things uttered to me. There’s no need of that, I’m just there to pass the time like any grid resident!

Argumentably, and regrettably, the same argument can be used against the good for evil. Pedophiles can use the ‘I’m a resident too’ argument to get their foot in the door. Hate mongers likewise! Linden Labs is aware of this, and sadly when the right groups beg to be heard oftentimes they are not. The Lindens are painfully aware that Congressional Representative Mark Kirk filed a letter to the US Federal Trade Commission, urging them to issue a consumer alert about Second Life, and are scared out of their little minds. They turn around and ban kids, Goreans, and BDSM practitioners to cool the pending threat of letters thrown upon their desks (id personally video tape myself using said letters in various ways other than reading, like for kindling). Don’t believe for a second they didn’t receive whiplash from all three groups. They are, and still are, receiving a verbal beat down for their actions. Some users have downgraded their premium accounts to basic, and urge others to do the same! The Lindens don’t seem to be listening to anyone, as one resident asked about roller coaster building height requirements and actually received an answer! That’s right a Linden actually dodged more than 50 complaints and requests for clarification regarding the SL5B and kids, and answered a question about a roller coaster’s height. One things for sure, the faith in LLC is dwindling, some users are preparing for a mass exodus of users, as they’ve vowed to leave Second Life for another venue of time, money, and entertainment. The sad thing is, I don’t think the Lindens are listening. I don’t think they ever will. Perhaps they should change their description from 'Second Life, is an online 3D world imagined and created by its Residents' to something more fitting.

Regardless, this reporter (and borderline rantist) will be attending the first ever SL5B Kids, which is well under way and spanning two SIMs. The heck with the big businesses, we can do this ourselves.

*Disclaimer* The viewpoints expressed here are not the viewpoints of the owners or other employees of this venue. Amira reserves these comments as her own viewpoint. Once again, all rights reserved.**

Follow Up Your Reading:

chicagotribune.com

Kids in, BDSM and Gor out.

http://www.massively.com/2008/06/03/linden-lab-blinks/#c12466106