Should Linden Lab require certification for these SL 'Therapists'?

That's exactly what it's there for. To trick people into giving them their money. Either that, or they've been tricked into giving their money to someone else in return for some unofficial verification that does nothing.

I would have thought that offering therapeutic services of any description in SL would be an altruistic undertaking. Where charges are made, even the most professional exemplars surely do not make much of an RL living out of their expertise?

And I still think that it is not enough to say "buyer beware" even in a metaphorical sense: that caveat may be appropriate when we fritter lindens away on clothing and gadgets but it lacks common sense in this case because common sense is very likely to be compromised by emotional or psychological disturbance.

Why would a real physiologist spend 1 hr of their time for about $6USd when they could make 10 times that amount in RL seeing real ppl if they are qualified?

Stating that a person or group is SL Verified is the type of thing that LL should crack down on. LL may not be able to police licensing, but they sure can nip such statements in the bud. Where are the folks here that have the TOS memorized, as I am positive such stuff must covered in it.

***-Real Help in a Virtual World-
Helpful, non-judgmental support by a RL board certified counselor. Verified in SL. Help for anxiety, depression, relationships, coping mechanisms, relationships, trauma, identity, addiction, & more. When you need real, effective help - no gimmicks, no roleplay - we're here.***

Where would they get verified if there is no verification process set up?? Is this a self appointed title? Who verified them? Under what criteria were they verified? As far as I know there is no listed SL or LL criteria that grants a person to say they are verified IN SL or by SL or LL. This can and will be a very dangerouse trend I see coming to the fore front.

You know what I Find tboublesome? someone who is volnerable, low, not thinking straight sees somethign like that on any prfile is gonna believe just about anything legit or not. To say someone is verified in SL when there is no such verification proceedure in place is teaching a very bad and scarey trend. that alone puts LL on the spot because people are if htey are smart gonna start enquiring about this person through LL which will litterally tie up time and resources and they will out of frustration will start ignoring the inquiries which then in turn sets the stage for more folks to claim they are basically OK'd to do what ever they wish using the SL name.

laughing

i'm laughing at that one!

Why do you assume this is new? Things like this have been present in SL for a long time, claiming to be certified or verified in various professions, with LL, when it's just not possible. It's a way that people see they can get more business, and don't realize they're actually crossing some legal thresholds.

LL wouldn't be on the spot, at all. From their angle it's just "No, we never said that, you should AR these people", and that's about all they have to do. That's it. They don't need to do anything else, because they aren't at fault for someone else lying.

In fact, if they did offer verification, they'd probably get in more trouble, because someone would eventually get through, and then cause some trouble, after being verified, and then LL has that on their hands; they've vouched for someone who made things worse.

Claiming you're a professional, and certified, and verified, is not at all new. It's been around for years, and before SL was even around, too. There are RL laws to deal with these things, LL doesn't need to add more. If anything, you could throw out an AR with the 'other' category, and they might (Probably would, to prevent bad press) do something.

ohh I didn't claim that I found this to be new. I was trying to make a point with this. iF someone is trying to truely help why would they out and out lie and say they are a verified anything. Do they need to lie?

My personal perception here is there is a large number of peole who claim to com einto SL.. set up shop ligit or not. start advertising with intention to help then as time goes by get wrapped up in the numbers game and popularity game. They are using what ever means tehy can to build up group numbers, get that top spot in search and become the #1 among the helper community. Why are we even allowing this to happen? These are supposed to be trained educated indivituals who supposedly already have RL practices yet come into SL and play some dangerouse games of numbers and popularity to ge the most clients and recognition they can.

Why are folks wanting LL to set up a verification process in the first place.. ? is ti an avenue to provide a way for folks to justify what they do? is it for recognition? To get discounts for doing someting they already get well paid to do in RL which seems highly unfair to me. Somek are so desperate to be that number 1 they are going all out to pull what ever stops they can to get there even to lie.

Pros to a verification system. Makes it easier for LL by permision to check the persons creidetials provided person does not lie to htem in th efirst place.

Con's.. people will constantly try to trip the system to reach taht number one goal and get what they want, discounts on this and that when they don't need it.

I"ve been watching all this play out for 3 yrs now. If you are who you say you are you will be humble, let folks find you and don't try to sell yourself. Help those who cross your path. Beleive me there are more then enough folks in need there is no need for competition or all this verification crap.

Why not have it that SL mandates that AVs must prove their RL sex/species. I know of several people who have been in relationships in here to later learn the person is not the sex they were lead to believe, these ppl were hurt

verified could be as simple as age verified, or payment verified, hell even e-mail verified... another meaningless term by itself.

as for 'Classiest Cal-Girl in all of SL'[sic] turned psychologist, a friendly person would ask for her credentials, and suggest she didn't use a title that requires a degree she doesn't have, a mean person would AR her afterward, and a thorough person would make every attempt to contact her local authorities on top or the rest.

if you really are so worried about this sort of thing, instead of trying to saddle LL with it why not form a watchdog group from related professionals that checks licensing claims, and AR's people committing fraud, and reporting them to local authorities.

to be nice you might warn them they're violating RL laws. and remember that someone claiming to be some credentialed professional isn't committing fraud until they offer services as such.

Linden Lab frowns upon self-appointed grid police. I recall in 2006 Linden Lab suspending my entire security team when they tried to stop a 4 hour attack from the Voted 5. Even though the Linden response team stood there dumbfounded for two hours trying to reason with the griefers.

If Linden Lab can partner with residents on the risk API project then these sort of collaborations should be welcome also.


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Great idea! And while they are at it, institute an IQ test as well . . .

Pep ( . . . and only allow the ones that fail it to join up)

Obviously, LL employees could use a bit training in systems psychology [or mob mentality].

I'll drink to that!

P S [If only I could afford to do so.]