How to prove you are not a minor in SL?

Stroker Serpentine posted a thread on SLUniverse that links to a politician that sounds like he is about to crusade to protect the children from the evol Second Life.

I wonder how LL will respond to this latest media stink eye? Or will they?

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/il10_kirk/Kirk_Parents_and_Police_Delete_Online_Predators.html

Lovely.

Strange that the honerable congrassman neglects to mention that these kids have to lie to get in then actively seek out these things he's trying to prevent them from getting at.

Lack of facts has never stopped a politician from starting a crusade.
I agree with you 100%.

The rhetoric in the press release, quoting lawmakers, is pretty harsh when it comes to things like, "If sites like Second Life won’t protect kids from obviously inappropriate content, the Congress will."

Then, in reading the press release's highlights of what the proposed legislation does, none of it forces providers like Second Life to do anything. Just based on the summary of the bill in the article, it seems fairly innocuous. Mainly, it requires public schools and libraries to take the burden of now allowing kids to access such sites from thier computers. Then it sets up all kinds of research boards.

None of what I see in the proposed bill would require Second Life to do anything more in requiring proof of age as to a particular user.

Of course, I always wonder when parents will be required to do more to protect their children who use the internet.

The internet explosion came after I was no longer a minor. But geez, when I've had roommates, I've never been able to hide what 'adult' things I might be doing on the internet, locked doors and legitimate demands for privacy nonewithstanding. How can it be such a widespread phenomenon that children are accessing adult content and chatting it up with others on the internet without parents' knowledge? I can believe that even diligent parents can sometimes miss their children's bad behavior, but I'd think that would be the exception and not the rule.

But to the original topic, despite the rhetoric of the lawmakers cited in the press release, the bill summary didn't look like any real crackdown on providers of services on the internet.

If the kids on the Adult Grid have adult avatars, how do sexual predators target them as kids?

They try to pick up griefers?

In a word.... Lures.

Which is why I still will never support the idea of merging grids in any way. (>_<

Drug Stores?

Yeah, that one raised my eyebrow too. I have seen some things sold here and there but not once have I found a store that sells drugs.

Maybe he meant the Wal-Mart variety. If so I am all for banning Wal-Mart from the grid myself.

Damn that cough syrup anyway!

Seriously though, this sort of statement makes me rethink about voting for the democrats this year. The government never was meant to be our keeper and/or nursemaid; when is Congress going to realize that?

You mean, there are Rite Aid or CVS stores in Second Life? How did I miss those??? I have been looking all over for a store where I can purchase bandages for all the times I plummet to my death from the top story of a store, 3rd floor balconies, skyboxes, etc.

"As has always been the case, Residents are morally, socially and legally responsible for their actions and content in Second Life." (KB quote)

Every age verification blog post stressed the fact that land owners are responsible for what happens on their land. If you have an adult venue, but aren't restricting to "age verified residents only" I can see some zealot/fanatic make the case that you're actively trying to attract minors.

Ah yes, another fine use of my tax dollars. And we really do need some more of those Research threads here as there are not near enough people trying to analyze us yet.

Yeah, I agree with the principle that they state. They also seem to fold like a house of cards when the media latches on to something though. Any big businesses using the platform know by now of the issues in the age verification areas. But if LL sees this kind of thing taken hold of in the media and run with they may take steps to show the untapped businesses that they are still wooing that they are "responsible".

All speculation and words right now. It is way too early to see if this becomes anything or simply dies a blip on the media radar. The media does seem to like to latch on to SL negative stories though. I think they are still pissed over the false numbers, etc they were fed back in the honeymoon era lol.

Right up till someone points out the age verification does not work a lot of times.

I've even seen where it'll be turned on but by using a landmark or teleport inside the age verification setting did not work

The system is not full proof yet.

And the trick is all entering the main grid are supposed to be 18+ and the ToS actually fulfills the laws (of the us anyway) on verifying the age (look at the various suits against certain sites that were dismissed due to the click her to confirm your age pages)

The trick is the people using the childish avatars in areas they should not be using them (again in violation of the ToS)

Since there is no way short of 24/7 staff monitoring the use of your lands to watch out for it (no way to exclude avatars based on height or appearance is available... plus not all short avatars are children)

Personally this guy doesn't talk like someone who has experienced SL firsthand.

From: http://www.massively.com/2008/05/06/kirk-says-children-at-risk-in-second-life/

"Kirk admitted that he knew of no cases in which children had been targeted by sexual predators in Second Life."

Says it all, really. The whole Massively piece is pretty good, IMO.

Yep. And you never know when you'll need to pick up a pair of pantyhose at 3AM.

Nice find Mari! I like this bit here:



Smoke and mirrors and a rebel without a cause.

Or condoms for all that naughty pixel sex!

I *almost* quote edited her comment to say condoms instead of pantyhose with a "fixed" comment. Wasn't sure if she would kill me for it though.

She's not that scary once you get past the warts.

Exactly. Typical political posturing during an election year.

Anyone know which is his seat on the hill? I need to leave a whoppie cushion on the virtual version.

Oh Christ, things can't be that bad where I have to supply the condoms as well, are they?

It's the one with the the Phone Book on it