Robin Linden Get Your Facts Straight !!!

I was thinking that too. Im around youth alot and i feel many times grownups underestimate/deny what theyre capable of and the lengths they go to get what they want.

Parents would like to assume their kids angels but thats rarely the case at all.

They forget what THEY were like as kids. Kids can be manipulative little beasts. I suppose that most of them think that they were angels as kids, and don't want to harm their own fragile egos.

I'm glad to see that SL will be weeding out some minors and am more than happy to provide my info. If I was uncomfortable with it I'd just close my account. End of story.

Sure it's not going to stop every kid from getting in. It's like locking your car doors. A good professional will get in anyway, but you do it to prevent the vast majority from stealing your car.

As it's voluntary, they aren't weeding out minors and they aren't preventing more from coming in, indeed we'll soon have a super duper breed of 18+ verified minors.

The solution is simple. I'm not giving anyone more personal info than I already have. It is not required. I should be able to get into all PG sims, and it's my understanding I may also still get into mature simes as long as there is no mature activity going on there. I don't think this will limit me too much, but if it does -- C'est la vie (or C'est la deuxième vie). I'll go back to reading and music and movies that I have virtually abandoned for a virtual world.

You really think it's going to stay that way for long?

*shrugs* I'm not going to panic over it. It's not like the CC company, the health insurance company, the car insurance company and such keep that information 100% secure either. I /think/ the bank does.. and that's only because they are covering their assets.

*sigh* I wish it did keep the minors out, but I know full well, from all of my computer geek friends, that even this bit of extra step isn't going to stop very determined hormones

Absolutely. One of the big selling points here is the number of users, you think they're going to let that dwindle by forcing people to verify?

First, like every other thing LL changes I don't believe that it will send people packing in a mass exodus. Secondly, I am thoroughly convinced that LL is trying very hard to woo more corporate buy-in, that will require more structure in SL whether we like it or not.

I think required age verification will be a step for them because it is important to me to believe that many of the griefers I see and many of the adults I see pretending to do SL drugs (like what's fun about that?) and much more of the idiocy I see on SL is conducted by minors. I have no proof of that but must hold onto that belief otherwise I would lose all faith in humanity.

Packing no, but the simple fact is that the explosion in the user base came with allowing people to register without credit card info and the incoming crowds will dry up if they're forced to verify.

I would never have started SL if I'd needed to ID verify. New users are seriously going to be put off if they're forced to provide sensitive personal information like this just to try out a virtual world.

Many of those who verify will be long standing residents who are worried about their business ventures. New players simply won't have that affection for the world and they simply won't come here if it becomes compulsory.

Could be, but I'm not sure of the value in re-examining the process for legal purposes without having recourse to the underlying data.

"However, Colopy said a record of the verification process is retained so the company could re-examine it if there was “an overwhelming legal requirement to do so.”"

Whatever the case, this issue should be clarified so that we can make an informed decision.

I wonder what LL managment would think if their personal info was put into that company
bet they would like it as much as we do lol

allready been said/copied/linked to in previous with the track record of this company with selling entire lists to ppl with money without much regard for privacy

don`t verify if u don`t intend to go to "blocked" places and if u need to go for some reason, just set remote cam to 512 and shop that way

I'm sorry, but I'm very uncomfortable with it. The parent company of Integrity (www.aristotle.com) is in the business of gathering information for political use. All of the sudden they get a boomer, gen-x & others demographic to add to the mix. Sorry, but it will be just too tempting for a company that SPECIALIZES in information gathering to avoid using our info. If there's ever been a constant of the internet, it's that information, once entered or given, is never removed, and it's always used in the most detrimental way possible.

Just as an aside, what numbers to do your various utilities, accounts, phone company, etc always ask for for "verification purposes" when you call them? Why, the last 4 of your SSN! 4 little numbers that can be oh so powerful...

Sorry, LL. I won't be verifying anything more with you. I've sold my land, my business, and downgraded my account. The day you take this live to the main grid is the day I'll sadly say so long to my friends and go off to something else that doesn't require me being babysat by people younger than myself.

Age Verification is a must. BUT not this way. There are two points which i dont like about it.

1. Providing Passport Number, Social Sec Number or Driver Licence Number to a non Governement Istitution is against the Law here. ( Also Called Data Protection Pact )

2. Aristotele / Integrety got caught redhanded selling exactly this Information to others. I wouldnt trust them even with my Birthdate.

So until LL finds another way to get a Verification done i will not verify.

Btw. Regular CC can only be given to People which are considered 18 and older over here. If the issues are the prepaid Cards then dont let them get used for it.

Just what I was thinking. Any kid who has half a grain of intelligence, is going to know how to get age verification through a parent. This is just another example of LL trying to wash their hands of any responsibility.

LL sits and thinks and this is the only thing they can come up with? Clearly the ability to devise a unique 3D world, does not include any sense of responsibility or general worldy or virtual worldy, intelligence.

LL is just putting the responsibility on the business and estate owners. Then they are asking for private information that we all know should NOT be given out.

The only thing they really need to know, is the age, so make each person send in a Notary's signed and sealed affidavit of age and age only. We show our Notary our Driver license or whatever and they sign an affidavit we are over 18, then we send it to LL. That will be tough for a kid to trick a parent into doing. Here is how you do it LL:

Put on your website a page which is an affidavit of age anfd age only, and a place for a Notary to sign it. We print that out and go to a notary WHO VERIFIES US AS OVER 18, then it's matched to the avatar(s) and the account and that is that. Otherwise leave the world alone and stop dumping responsibility on residents, estate owners etc. It's YOUR responsibility Period. Hire some unemployed to work in the mailroom to sort the Notary letters, forget "Integrity" geeeez. SHort of LL holding personal interviews in person with residents all over the world, that would be the only real "age verififcation" system. Thats why they have Notaries. Duh.

This will also help weed out all those accounts/people that don't really even care about SL.


It's all so ridiculous---any kid can go onto google and search for any manner of bizarrness without so much as a click on "I certify I am 18"

LL might be planning ahead for their next business.

Something strange has happened to the Lindens, This reminds me of the Body Snatcher film that was out a few weeks ago--and a few other films of the Bodysnatcher story. LL may have been taken over by the Pod people.

How would we know that the Lindens are who they say they are?


Bottom line: Just say no, until Lindens realize the only real way to age verify is in person, with a Notary Public, and I am just guessing this Notary Public type function is found in every RL bank everywhere.

Unless they WANT to breed a Super Duper Breed of Age+ verified children who faked it.

To whom it may concern:

This certifies that the person presenting this affidavit, to me a Notary Public, #____________________________has done so in person, presented Identification and is 18 years old or older.

Signed__________Notary X

Then pairing it to another form, each resident sends in a sealed Notary envelope,it in on behalf of Avatar(s) x, y, z., with no other info needed on the new form but the avatar names. Then a Age verifcation can be seen in the profile.

And ya might want to stop encouraging kids to come into second life by requiring a premium account--but that would be too easy....actually it was the easy way to boost the population, instead of letting SL grow naturally as it did prior to the "free accounts"

This is cool, I'm just going to use all these numbers to make my own new number then they will have to drag all of you into court to find the real culprit

I hear other games even force you to pay..............

Yes, but that would bring the end of Second Life for sure. That and all the other 10,000 things that are going to bring the end. It's true, I promise. Just look all over the forums. They say so!

If this doesnt become mandatory to even PLAY sl, how will they keep the kids out?

As of right now it seems it will be mandatory but only to get onto adult flagged parcels. *Wonders what will happen to people who don`t flag their adult parcel(s) as adult*

Oh boy you really believe that. Believe it or not there was a time if you wanted to continue to play you had to pay.It would not be the end for Second Life at all.

Nothing will keep the kids out! they still be here.

I remember SL when it was really great and fun. People all paid. LL gave out free accounts to look good for investors and reporters, now those money men and reporters have changed their tune. The numbers were fake because they weren't real. "9 million" and never more then 30-40,000 thousand logged in at the busiest times and how many of those are just in a revolving door. Hi SL bye SL?

"They" won't do anything, the German media may visit though and put you on a neat TV show.............

Guess I could send them one or more of my grey hairs to prove my age... I'm sure somewhere on the internet they could find a DNA donation corporation willing to pay a couple of bucks for it.

Spam mail, junk mail, unsolicited phone calls etc are a result of information sharing FACT. LL can't be trusted after last years fiasco of data theft, why should anyone else.

I get annoyed at some faceless person phoning me, announcing they are from some reputable company/bank whatever, and begin by asking ME security questions.. what happens having gone through that gauntlet, they hang up and use that information for gain?
I always make them run a gauntlet of 'security questions' to prove who THEY are. Legit companies/organisations hang about long enough to appease me, when I give them 3 optional answers to each question I'm asked and ask them to pick the right one. After all, if they truly have that information they proclaim to have, its a no brainer for them.

LL can do what so many internet companies do, have a options selection on the download page 'I am under 18, I am 18 or just over, I don't know' This is a basic requirement that seems to satisfy most countries ideal, of age verification. I'm not giving out my information out to any 3rd party, my CC details are registered.. I mean if I was to put on some website formail that 2255 was the last 4 digits of my CC and my loggin password for every online game, email and ftp account.. I'd be screwed. I don't trust anyone know that information... oh and its the combination of my garden shed padlock as well , but don't tell the neighbours, else they will be able to get their lawnmower back.