Bad news of the day: They're thinking of merging the Teen Grid into the main one

no, the whole grid will not be PG. The whole mainland grid will be PG. Meanwhile if you want X-Rated content you will have to buy a sim at inflated rates to keep that content away from the PG mainlands (that will be sold at below cost to try to get some clams to buy a sim). And who do you think will be buying up all those lost priced parcels?

Maybe the reason LL hasn't made an official statement on this was so they could float a trial balloon and see the response.

It would be interesting to see how they can POSSIBLY present this as a positive move.

I just keeping thinking of the things I'll say goodbye to.

Along with everything else you said, I agree whole heartedly.

like their bottom line, the accounting and legal department's sanity...

you really think rated x material is gonna be on the same grid as kids are?
they are not looking to invest in the current residents best interests..
they are looking to invest in LL's future plans..
you want educators to come into LL and universities and other types of education types you don't have that type of content on your grid..they won't come..
the second mature content becomes an issue with them coming here you watch how fast the plug gets pulled..

yup... this is a strategic move, its about survival... LL can't afford to wait until they can be indemnified for malicious behavior on on what will be eventually considered the "public grid"... because in the long term LL will be buried by opensource... in order to survive they have to morph SL into something that isn't the same as the opensource offerings...

... looks like the merger of TL with SL, and the PG-ification of it is it.

It also then would appear that this action would be a bit of an admission (by LL) that LL's days would appear to be numbered... because there's no way they can compete (again) once opensource gets real legs.

Just as we can't blame the real world earth for the actions of individuals, eventually the worlds of metaverses (and the companies that host them) will also benefit from some degree of indemnification. But that time is not here yet... and LL can't afford to wait.

Opensource, by default self-indemnifies, but is still a bit premature...

Linden Labs, what are you thinking??? That is asking for a lawsuit to happen! Can you imagine the perverts trying to have sex with a minor on here? If you allow the teen grid to merge with the adult grid, I will no longer be on sl, I can NOT support something that allows minors to be exposed to adult themes and such!

it dont matter how you spin this, this is just bad news any way you put it.

LL are being stupid yet again. and this will kill Second Life.

Keep the Teen Grid separate from the main grid.

Actually right now they are protected with the separate grids, and the super hard access to the teen grid.

Merging the grids is going to remove all the protection they have from being sued for false accusations (by adults ar'd and facing rl charges due to a bored/angry kid filling against them), parents suing because LL didn't weed out every little bit of content they didn't want the kid to see (say a PN attack that shows XXX images in a public area).

In other words a merger would kill LL through lawsuits.

Plus they would have issues of compensation, ToS and all that be damned. They would face major lawsuits on lost income and such from content creators. If they delete their works.

Add in the fact the major selling point for SL is the adult part, allowing people to come do what they want without having to worry about underage people on the grid (where anyone that is underage is at fault for committing fraud to get on it, thereby protecting the ones on the adult grid by the fact there is a reasonable assumption the person you are dealing with is of legal age)

Merging the grid opens up all sorts of legal actions and problems.

I'm agreeing with you... I think this is a long term move by LL... not just a short term money grab...

merger equals me gone from SL for MY SAKE. I've never done any sex in SL. I don't mind that other people do. I don't much mind kids viewing porn. I do mind them being confronted by pervs. But I will not stand for being in a position of possibly being falsely accused of anything. You don't pick up teen hitch hikers for the same reason. Not my cuppa.

[11:13] Elanthius Flagstaff: Oh, and can you comment on the rampant rumours that the teen and main grids are being merged? I think phillip mentioned it in passing and now it's practically gospel.

[11:16] Jack Linden: Elanthius, re the TG.. that has come up a few times, but as it stands I doubt anything will happen short term - it's very much 'under discussion'.

Thank you for that, Master Ninja.

Well, one thing is for sure, teh threat of teens on teh grid has brought back old forum voices in a debate that sounds more liek teh old days.
But we are polarized here.
One group sees it as a positive step - a "sharing" of our world with teens and a cheap baby-sitting service instead of violent video games. A kinda watered down Wisteria Lane approach with all of us on our best behaviour coz "Johnny" and "Sophie" have entered teh building
The other group sees it as having dire consequences for a mature world that offers entertainment and artistic expression. We will now have to deal with REAL CHILDREN when we dont want to.
I have invested thousands of REAL dollars in this world an I like my mainland homes and lands. I love my art collections and I value my sex balls. I (and many liek me) love to play freely and safely. I dont want children here, I dont want predators here and I dont want the accompanying law enforcements to "keep an eye on things". I propose Linden open up a thread themselves to enable us to discuss this at greater length. Obviously it is gonna happen regardless, but we must fight a rear-guard action to enable all of us to keep our mature lands and maintain our lifestyles here.
In truth 99.9 percent of us have never done anything illegal here and have been "perfect citizens" in many ways. Now we will be looking over our shoulders all teh time and answering stupid questions from stupid teens. Sorry parents, but that is how many many many 30 year olds liek myself generally view your teenagers - especially when we have opted in real not to be burdened with that responsibility. How ironic that now I will be forced from my recreational world by snotty brats!
Child avis have been made redundant - who would have thought it eh? And by the way, their very interaction with teens may be regarded as illegal and immoral - pretending to be a child among children would be a suspicious occurence.

If LL merges the Teen and Adult grid, you can expect 2 things

#1 More media reports about pedophiles
#2 Bye Bye Adult industry on SL (majority of $ in SL is spent on Sexual items)

There are already quite a few universities with SL presences. The adult content does not seem to have deterred them at all. It's probably less of an issue with them than it would be with high schools.

If high schools want an SL presence, it should really be on the Teen grid, not the main grid anyway.

Way to go. Crippling a really good outrage!

For shame.

As I was surpprised to find in my own thread there is far less evidence of universities here than it appears. A minor working presence is teh reality in this case I believe.

no way thats not right they should keep the grid the way it is

What kinda messed up idea is this i read? Merging the teen grid with the main adult grid is the most retarded thing i have ever heard since i started to play sl. I am shocked to hear the anyone would concider this to be a good idea! Main grid is full of sex, everywhere and some of these kids do lie about their ages you know?...... How many people are going to get really messed over by some rebelling 14 to 18 year olds tryingto have cyber sex with 20 to 40 year old adults? You know it will happen! not to mention the drama kids will cuz if they don't get their own why buti think my first comment is more than enough to say this is the most retarded idea in the whole world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How old are you?

i agree..
i more or less am saying if this is the direction they are heading..and there is a merge..
i just can't see them keeping the mature..i mean if we are talking about 13 to 18..
thats middle school ages and high school..
maybe they will find a way to have them both on the same grid with some technology that pops up in the future..
bleh who knows lol

Are they NUTS?? Please i have aldult clubs here its bad enough now to control them

Search turns up quite a few, with fairly large presences. The ones I dropped in on appear to be at least an entire region, if not more.

Maybe I'll tour them this weekend. Between tentacle sex orgies, I mean.

hahaha