Info on the Future Plans for SL- by the Lindens

This seems an intersting thing to keep an eye on and I know not all of us meander on out of here- so ...

/352/b6/311514/1.html#post2351020

Sounds like the beginning of the merge between Teen Grid and Main Grid to me

I applaud the Linden's for taking these actions. It will have a huge impact on the high unemployment #'s to enforce it. We need more companies taking positive steps like this to fix the ailing world economy. [sarcasism off]

There are four threads running right now over in the Linden Forum - definitely worth reading all four and the attached documents before jumping to conclusions...

That's the first thread that I've seen where so many different Lindens are jumping in to answer questions

And the first time I knew that it was against TOS to have an 'Adult' place in your profile Picks.

Treasure, I didn't know that. I've seen avs with multiple picks like that (I've taken to snooping around profiles when bored) some of those had X rated SL photo with it. I did wonder at the time, what if a kid saw that...

But then I remembered *kids aren't supposed to be on the main grid anyway*

/me whines mournfully for the SL soon to be RIP.

(FWIW my picks happen to be places like SL Disney. Lol)

Yeah, it's been discussed here, but was a long time ago. It's rarely acted upon unless someone turns you in for it. Usually happens when two parties aren't getting along.

1. Irritate large numbers of users
2. ...
3. Profit!

I've read through the terms of service and community standards several times, and I've never seen that having an Adult place in Picks is against the Terms of Service.

If the Picks place has a picture with nudity or somesuch, that would be. If it contains naughty words, it would be. But if the Picks content is clean- and it's just the place that's not- then I've read nothing to suggest that's against the TOS.

And an individual Linden's opinion would not overrule the TOS. The TOS are contractual.

I know I'll get flamed up and down the forum for this, but it has to be done. The general public has the impression that SL is primarily a virtual world built for sex and populated by people looking to pixel bump. The news media ran far too many articles on the salacious sides of SL and the impression has stuck. How many surveys have we all seen that either focus on either DEVIANT LIFE ZOMG! or MAKE MONEHS NOW! aspects?

If SL is to grow it has to become something other than Virtual Porn World from a public relations standpoint. SL needs an image overhaul and pulling the focus away from adult content is what has to happen. There is no reason whatsoever that the adult content can't live happily alongside the rest of SL just like the porn industry lives alongside the rest of the internet.

Personally, I think this is much ado about nothing and commend LL for putting a whole lot of people into damage control mode right off the bat to deal with resident concerns rather than mopping up after the mob has already rioted and burned the place down.

It's nice to see they have finally admitted their Data Mining scheme with Integrity/Aristotle was a failure. This scheme is a bit more pragmatic, it gets as many people as possible to pony up credit card numbers, even though they constantly told us that CC info was no guarantee of adulthood when the Aristotle plan was rolled out. This isdea will probably weed out some undesirable citizens who want want to bother just to grief, and they should think about tying alts to one verified main account. I don't think it makes things any safer, but I give them some credit for at least appearing to be pro active and eliciting feedback, of course it could just be another case of they have a plan in motion already and this is just a smokescreen.

I wish I could have said this as eloquently as you. I can't believe the number of people who are saying the "sky is falling" once again. Hmmmmm, let's see. I seem to be able to recall that the sky was falling after gambling was banned. We seemed to go from 50,000 - 70,000 afterwards. Gambling didn't seem to hurt to me.

Simple fact: this is not about the current residents, it's about future residents. This is a tremendously smart move on LL's part even if they do lose people initially.

P.S. Yeah, you're going to get flamed.

That's what ad/PR agencies are for. If hiring one could sell a WAR, it can revamp SL's image - and fwiw, I never even knew about 'that' side of SL until well after I joined it. Not everyone sees it as a virtual red light district.

Is that how you see it - virtual Sodom and Gomorrah or were you playing devil's advocate? Because there is already a lot more to SL than that - and LL would do well to play that up. Add yes (make the world work better, make it easier/cheaper to learn or rent or play there), but do not slap on these privacy shackles.

How is ruining SL going to improve it, is my question. As for gambling, removing gambling did not impact gameplay for every resident; merging grids will. (Zyngo and sploders and table games still abound, anyway.) Requiring personal info/payment data/age verification will.



It isn't the same thing at all. The internet is everywhere like air, SL is an enclosed inclusive environment. Also, see above. It isn't about losing adult content, it's about a radical shift in privacy or lack of.

How is moving sex clubs and sex themed areas into an "adult" area going to ruin SL?

Nothing is going to change otherwise. You will only need to age verify if you plan on visiting those places.

You are over-simplifying.

A lot of people already *do* (visit those sims) and like it or not, what they purchase or spend (including the sims, which might quickly be deserted, meaning the owner will not be able to pay tier) keeps LL rolling and SL economy moving.

Age verification will also spill over into PG rated roleplay sims and it will destroy SL Gor. Imagine it coming out that the big bad sadistic Gor maste r is also Kajira Supersub on another sim? If every av has to be payment verified/age verified, a lot of roleplay will vanish, either from fear of personal data leak or just plain not being able to buy membership for each and every av.

You are making this about 'sex sims' in an almost insulting tone. Implying that anyone averse to the kid grid flooding into the main grid must be in SL for one reason. Haven't you read the multiple threads on the topic. There are many reasons people object and many ways this WILL impact game play for *everyone*.

All I can say in addition to what I've said in those threads too, is, TSO didn't listen to its beta testers - it pooh-poohed them as being "obsessed with money" the way some (as in your posts) are now saying objections to the kid grid merger are due to being "obsessed with SL sex" - it ISN'T about that. It's about everything that is impacted BY that in a domino effect.

Disabling the money cheat in TSO meant that half the game's players - the builder/creator types - could not play the way they wanted, without putting in real-time hours to make their money. There was no other way to do it. TSO went along a while, then folded, there were other issues raised and *they did not listen to their consumers*.

This isn't about 'sex' it is about people being able to express themselves and have privacy. You keep making it about porn, it's hard to say if you do that to try and strongarm the discussion, to shame me from replying, or simply to be obtuse/argumentative. Or maybe none of the above, but this topic isn't about SL porn, it's about an (IMO) unwise decision (at least, as implemented) and not listening to what existing players think.

Oh and btw "only giving out personal information" if going to an adult sim? That is the LAST reason most who go to those would want to do so. Or did you forget that "age verification" means trusting RL name, address, and other personal info including DOB, to a third party. And then having all of that out there floating in some virtual pool? Sounds like you judge the activity and think whoever goes in for that in SL deserves to be policed. Keep the kids OUT of there and there's no reason to invade privacy of every other citizen - don't forget, mature sims include shopping malls and other places too.

What if someone misuses the data given, creates an av representing that person and wreaks havoc in SL. I'm talking RL offense-type SL havoc. It would add a whole new spin on ID theft, wouldn't it.

Why? Are you saying Gor RPer's can't seperate their characters if they choose to play in different sims? I RP in various genres with one avatar.What I am in a Star Trek sim gas no bearing on what I am in a Western or Medieval Sim. And I haven't.

I understand the concern about personal ifo not being secured in LL's hands, but they already have our info. They haven't said they are going to put it where another resident can find it.

They *don't* have everyone's info, and I think that might be one thing they are after. One possible reason? Marketing info. Data collecting. Who buys what where, when and in what sim? Big money selling data to corporate firms with in world presences.

Right now it's totally possible to get in-world with nothing more than an email addy.

No I wasn't saying Goreans can't separate characters, I'm saying many already do and will be less able and/or likely to, if all they can have are avs attached to their official RL info. For a lot of reasons, real and perceived.

ETA: thought just occured to me. For various reasons not everyone wants certain actions/purchases showing up on their 'payment data' either...try explaining to a tyrannical significant other who happens to hold the wallet, that 'certain purchase' or why you spent so many game hours in that mature only area. Or to a parent...or boyfriend/girlfriend/roommate/dog who pays the bills. Anonymity isn't only or always for those in game or at LL. Some people have a reason (for which I don't judge; for instance an abusive spouse) to disappear in-world and that right should be respected, IMO. (No not a legal right, LL offers us a contract; but maybe a human one.)

Where is it said the RL info will be attched to an avatar for another resident to see?

I agree with the marketing angle, I think that is the primary motivaton behind this anyway.

You can verify but not spend anything, therefore no details would show up fro someone else to see. What you describe can happen in some cases, but it isn't going to happen automatically to everyone. Your concerns are legitimate, but not necessarily widespread worst case.

I needed a beach to take photos at yesterday, and in doing a 'search all' I couldn't believe some of the key-words, phrases, etc that came up. I did not wish to engage in debauchery with multiple partners...I wanted to go take a picture of an SL beach.

My point is that while I have no problem with consenting adults finding whatever diversions they seek, I don't really want to be slapped in the face with a multitude of descriptive names for sex acts and various body parts.

I am not a prude, and I've been around a bit...but when I came on SL I very nearly quit the second day because of some of the products I saw advertised at a place I went to dance-camp. If it hadn't been for a friend pointing out that there was a deeper SL underneath, I would have.

So Kudos to LL, they are doing what they need to do. If I want to engage in adult activity, I will happily go to a place where it is allowed.

There is a potentially easier solution to the problem.

When you do a Search, and uncheck the "Include parcels with Mature Content" box, maybe the Mature parcels should not be included in the Search.

If you only got PG parcels when you unchecked the "Include parcels with Mature Content" box, it would probably greatly reduce your exposure to mature content when you are trying to avoid it.

Why Linden Lab is trying something complicated, when it can't do the simple, is beyond me.

In this case , as in all cases withh LL, it's not what they will do, but how they will do it.
Even a hardcore Libertarian like me agrees SL is a regulatory mess, it does need some gentle structuring. But history has shown they will take the path of least resistance for them, regardless of the effect on the community as a whole.

I applaud this subtle change. Just on a cursory glance at the blogs and forums it looks like everything will stay just about the same - there just may be a little more lag in the adult areas if they are all crowded together.

Honestly -- as I approach my second year rezday still chaste (my alt too), I wouldn't really miss the shallow adult stuff. I might miss the sexual tension created by the remote possibility of something happening, however. So I think these changes are the absolute wisest course of action, and will lend credibility to the grid without sacrificing freedom.

Bravo!

Ain't it just like the obvious to elude me completely! I never thought of checking the PG box. I mean...it's a beach.

One concern I have is the effect on the land market. whether you scoff and sneer at Xrated content or nut, it is a big part of the SL economy. setting up new areas for this content could lead to some serious price gouging on the land market. What will prevent some from buying up all these parcels and selling them to displaced businesses at exhorbiatant rates. Especially if LL has an eviction time table in their bag of tricks.