Upcoming Changes for Adult Content: Answers to Questions

Well... if indeed Second Life has designs on eventually becoming The Matrix (Shadowrun, not Wachowski reference), they have rather a long way to go, technically. And with decision making like this, they better get straight and start acting responsibly before someone else comes along and does it better, faster, prettier, less intrusively and more responsibly.

I would venture the statement that if the internet evolves into a virtual reality interface, as it likely EVENTUALLY will in our lifetimes, then being able to virtually insert yourself into the world, go wherever you like, see whatever you want to see and do whatever you want to do with other people is a responsibility at LEAST as important as driving a car, or being considered mature enough to engage in adult relations with another person in the legal sense.

And as such, no child should be allowed a truly interactive VR experience beyond that of some game environment like World of Warcraft, or perhaps the much touted Playstation Online environment they're betatesting now for the PS3. Environments where everything that can be seen and done is strictly limited by the software running the show. The difference between that and Second Life being that while you can do the elf woman's lap dance for gold in World of Warcraft, or put furniture in your virtual house in PS3-Life, you're not able to start having sex with someone, or install a sex bed with 300 positions in your house like in SL.

When you're an adult, you get to have the freedoms we all enjoy as adults under the law to play with one another in an adult way. Then you get to legally go on VRNet/The Matrix with the rest of us and we take the training wheels off your internet entertainment experience. IN the future, this will probably be easier to enforce by making more sophisticated VR equipment for non-game environments controlled tech, the same way cigs and alcohol are controlled substances.

I'm moving into pure futurist theory here now. So tune out of you're bored at this point. Actually... you couldn't outlaw the interface tech. But you could incorporate something like a standardized signal that initializes the tech to allow it to function. Then have the reciever of that signal incorporated into a specialized adapter. Future VRNet/Second Life/The Matrix will send that signal packet as part of the datastream. And only VR Equipment with that adapter that can interpret that signal will function on adult only vr-internet. Game environments safe for kids need not send the signal/packet, and thus will function on ANY VR equipment.

Thus, Johnny can still log into WoW with his VR Helmet on, and not have the adapter plug listening for the signal that lets him play. However, on his 18th birthday, he can go right out, show his ID and buy himself a 'net translator' to add to his rig in order to see 'Second Life 2017' A rite of passage as meaningful as being able to legally buy any controlled substance, or his first car.

Til then, when johnny tries to log in with a stolen credit card number from his dad's wallet without a Net Translator, all he's gonna see when he pops on the helmet is "Welcome to Teen Second Life." or better still, "We're sorry, we see you're trying to access adult content without a translator. You're either underage, or your Net Translator has developed a fault. Please try again when you've replaced your translator, or you're of legal age. Thank you."

Now that's not gonna stop Johnny from sneaking over to the adult's computer to swipe their translator for a bit, unless they're keyed to work with only the computer they're plugged into after initialization. Johnny may have no qualms about trying to kidnap the translator plug, but he may think twice about wearing his parents' VR helmet. They're gonna be able to tell he's been up to no good when it comes to that.

Bit effectively, that would but one HELL of a gatekeeper on any VR Net experience to keep kids out, while putting responsibility firmly in the realm of the parents, and with people selling translators facing fines as strict as the ones for selling cigs and booze to kids to keep them from snagging the things in stores or online. Even if the kid gets one, the parents are still at fault for not paying enough attention to johnny enough to see that he's scored himself a translator and connected it to his rig.

No solution is going to be 100% effective. Kids still score cigarettes. Kids still swipe nudie magazines. Kids still hop on Second Life with falsified information. They will be industrious enough to find a way. All we can do as adults is make it increasingly difficult for them without hamstringing our own experience in the bargain. A physical and tangible asset like that would pretty much relieve US of the responsibility down the line when we need specialized equipment for that kind of immersion.

Fast forward into pure science fiction... "Dateline: April 6th 2070! Datajack implantation becomes regulated on the federal level, ensuring only people above the age of 25 may have one implanted. The initial outcry over the limitation was small, as it is common knowledge that the brain isn't finished developing in some cases until the age of 25, and that invasive implants may impede that development... Now with news of the international Mars Terraforming initiative, here's Maxine Legroom.""

It was Mitch that said it was a long term plan and likened SL in terms of development to where DOS was at the onset of PCs and think what will happen in 10/20 years from now. If LL and SL does hope to be at the forefront I do hope that they change there MO in many ways



I left this because it was a good read and i especially loved that last paragraph as that is already science fact, the implants, allbeit in a primitive form and the Mars bit, well your are probably not far from the truth there either

In spite of the fact that it's been suggested at least twice before by others, you mean?

You wish. What happened to the well-spoken, articulate Nany who presented at the VW-BPE panel discussion then - someone else using her avatar again?

Maybe its her kids using her PC and posting here

I suspect that in 10/20 years from now LL and SL will have gone the same way as Netscape.

Matthew

May I enquire if LindenLab has explained why the people or organisations who have asked for this predictable PG version of SL are not the ones being asked to move to a special PG approved area? I cannot find where the Linden in charge of this thread has answered that question. If they have, can someone point me to it please.

It would make entirely more sense if the new continent was the predicable one. I understand from Linden blog that companies wanting a safe, behind firewall version of the SL platform will soon be offered that option, so I don't understand why there is a need to move content around or segregate people on the existing Main Grid.

Yep i have that sneaking suspicion also as someone else steps in using LL as a model of how not to do things, or like REAL Player or Lotus, anyone see a thread here with the common denominator Mitch K lol

Okay, so I've pr0n'd-up some parcels on three different sims, scummified their descriptions, IDV-restricted their access, and listed them in Search. Now I'm waiting. I don't know nor particularly care to learn just now how to make money on Adult Content, so they're not even paying back their parcel listing fees--to say nothing of tier--from commission sales on a few sleazy affiliate vendors and one slightly racy product of my own. So I'm eager that they hurry up and qualify for the move to Ursula.

Any word on when the list of to-be-migrated parcels will get established?

Maybe you could sell "adultification packs" to cover your costs until the move.

Which could prove interesting if you are renting mainland, since it is quite likely that the owner will have the land listed in search as a rental plot.

Matthew

LOL i will be interested to see if you do get get a move there, as that will prove just how open to abuse this whole situation is for the genuine adult venues that have no option but to move or not as the case my be

I previously made a suggestion that two new mainland continents should be created one Adult where only extreme content would go and one PG for all those wishing a PG only experience.

This would leave all existing land able to become mature only, in line with LL's criteria of keeping majority of geography mature.

The reason I suggest this, is currently I feel there appears to be an overly strict definition to what content will become adult rated, which I feel could force a change in LL's expectation of mature being where the majority user base reside.

Example I consider myself to fit into the mature catagory, but a feel if restrictiction is to great I will be forced to move onto the adult continent, with exteme stuff I don't want to be located any where near.

Separating PG sims from mature, allows the mature rated sims to have less stringent restrictions than LL seems to be currently being considering, as people will be istantly aware of which continent they are in and the rating of content they are likely to come into contact with.

Yet would still help, even if current levels of expected restriction come into force, as the more easily offended users, would no longer have the possibility of coming into contact with any remaining unwelcome mature content in neighboring parcels as they do now.
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As you can see, main concern is still, What will be considered adult content?
Your first set of answers, makes me feel the line is going to be far more restrictive than just extreme content.
Hence the idea for three continents.

There was mention that 20 sims where initially intended with up to 200 able to be added as required.
This seems to tally, with all 200 sims being setup to the 2-4% of extreme adult content previously mentioned.
But comes nowhere close to catering for people like myself who don’t consider they should come under the umbrella of adult content providers.

I only have skins, furniture such as sex beds,loungers and some clothes that may be affected.
I would also like to know about RP areas like Gorean sims, you mentioned combat sims will remain as mature, does this mean Gorean sims are likely to remain mature?

I would like to see a more precise definition of exactly what will become adult rated content.
For my peace of mind as much as anything else.

Blondin said the following as answer to much very similar questions:

Blondin Linden: "Unfortunately this doesn't meet the criteria of our program"

- no joke, correct quoted, he said that literal. Afterwards he avoided strict, to introduce and to explain these ominous criterias to us. But this is not my problem with that. The problem is IMHO *that* they made criterias, no matter with wich ideas and no matter for what reasons. This reminds on totalitary systems, wich are ever happy to sort out, stigmatize and deplace people by hidden, secret or just stupid - but in any case not legitimate - so called criterias.

This again - unfortunaly - doesn't meet the criterias of *our* program as human beings and customers, as wich we are grown up in democratic systems under democratic constitutions ... - because from being 18+ on as individual person, no one on earth has a right to set arbitrary artifical additional criterias on people. Especially not a private company with no democratic developed and established authorization for doing that. We are all equal and from 18+ on we are all self-responsible in any meaning and under all circumstances, as long as we are no criminals. No exception. Period.

They have to stop that so called program immediatly, because the above stated facts are IMHO not negotiable - and I wonder why so much people running into the trap, to try to discuss that with them or to collaborate with them, while getting not a single reasonable and logical answer. The basic rights and existing conditions for 18+ people are not negotiable. They are engraved in stone, by so many constitutions and laws around the globe.

If there are interests by individuals or groups to build a so called... "PG"-community by free choice and for whatever reasons, then they are free to do this by themselfs, for themselfs. And if LL wants to help them, then is the company free to do this and to build them the wanted environment in gods name or in devils name, or in both names. I.e, to give them their wanted sanitized continent for wich they have to pay the fees then, to be able to be "Parent Guided" in masses and classes there... - but it is in no way not our job and not our problem to satisfy them through going in exile for them and to exist arbitrary censored and deplaced in a camp-like situation for them.

No! Strict no!

All who want a camp, the friends and fans of camps..., so to speak - can build themselfs their own camps. To be happily concentrated... there..., if they like... They are free to do this within Second Life's structure and also in their real life. No one hinders or disturbs them while doing and living this. Planet is big enough and so SL is too. There is a land store at the front page of SL's website. There they can buy/rent... and later build up their "PG Paradise(s)" with their own creativity, money and with their own hands.

LL's move is in general and from base on and seen from any side complete inacceptable for free and open minded people over 18 years of age.

See.. I don't think adding adult content to your land to qualify for a move is abuse. It's just maintaining the current range of uses you can put on mature rated land. In fact just a request to move should be good enough.

What will be abuse is when adult content businesses continue to operate on mature rated land and attract customers that once went to customers of responsible business that moved. Now, this may not happen. However LLs history of not effectively policing PG land of mature content or policing PG search and profiles of mature content does not fill me with confidence that it won't happen.

Would it not be possible for LL to make a tab in their forum that are just the answers that Blondin or other LL people have to these questions? Answer them here in this forum and then copy them to a locked page also. It is hard for some to keep up with this thread when it has become 71 pages long and close to 1100 posts.

Of course it is open for abuse! At least one microparcel extortionist is doing the same thing. Probably not all that suprising for them though: trade plots nobody will buy for plots people will *have* to buy.

On the first part, people in general now adding adult content to their land just to get a move to the adult area when currently they are OK to stay and not providing adult services is a form of abuse, OK maybe not abuse as such but gaming the system I would hope that LL has made a snapshot already as to who is going to have to move anyways as they seem settled on their figures. However we are yet to see the final guidelines as to what is and what is not allowed, so i will reserve judgment until then We are not concerned as we own a sim anyway on the mainland so won't have to share a sim and if on the off chance we are exempt, which i very much doubt lol i will be extra happy

On the second part i totally agree and i am sure it will happen and i for one will have no hesitation in reporting those businesses if i come across them on my travels, as you say us responsible ones have no choice in the matter and i would imagine the Gteam will be watching for these businesses that then want to break the rules as i think enforcement of this new adult ruling will be strictly adhered to because of the overall disruption it has caused the grid in general and also bear in mind there will be various individuals that will make a special effort to trawl the grid looking for these places as they do now.

Except that without an "I don't want to see Adult Extreme content" preference flag, there is NO way for someone who clicks on a classified ad or who follows a landmark given to them or a teleport offered to them to know WHERE that TP is taking them. A Teleport can go ANYWHERE. Unless you stop, look at the location on the map, and zoom out, and happen to know SL geography well enough to recognize the continent shape, you would have no way of knowing it was Porno-land you were teleporting to. And none at all if it was a casual acquaintance offering you a TP. I can easily see a lot of people looking for their favorite mall or store, and finding a landmark giver saying "We've moved!" and offering a LM to the new store location - in Ursula. The person getting that LM wouldn't necessarily know where it led.

I agree that there should be a way in Preferences to explicitly opt OUT of accidentally accessing the XXX Extreme sims. Likewise there should be a way to lock out access to combat sims and damage-enabled areas. Two separate flags. Or three, if you also want an "I only want access to PG-rated sims and parcels" option.

Lets just hope LL deals with things like this properly as the real adult businesses will i am sure consolidate much better now with this forced move and kick back at the ones gaming the system at their expense

Cite please. I've seen several OTHER people saying that's what the policy SHOULD be, but I haven't seen Blondin come out and say that just listing in search is a litmus test.

I can't find it at this time but I'm pretty much certain that it has been stated that if you point to it on the parcel then that determines that parcel's classification. That seems to me to include such things as signs, teleporters and indeed search terms.

If you are having BDSM events at your home that you publicly advertize, that is not exactly a white pages listing, is it? The white pages lists name, address and phone number and no more. If you are talking about 1/4 of your sim though, even if adding your name to search includes a picture, do you have no control whatsoever as to the picture angle or anything? And you could not put up trees or something to block the view in the picture even if you had no control of the angle?

Assuming you have eliminated conventional line of sight the AR you mention should fail. Period. In fact, the peepers should be tossed out for voyeurism, but really it sounds like you are trying to weasel a loophole in which you can call your BDSM park your 'home' and thus protect it. If you are inviting the public in and refusing to put up trees or walls to block line of sight to your neighbors, then it being your 'home' is incidental. You cannot hide behind right of privacy while tossing it out the window yourself.

(And no offense to any actual weasels listening )

It is a form of abuse, if the whole reason for adding adult content to your land description is just to get land, that it almost guaranteed to sell at a premium due to supply and demand issues.
Some people will no doubt even buy cheap land, this so they can, quickly cash in on the low current cost of mature mainland, against increased value of the new adult land.
Which could also exasperate problems with the amount of land available, and push the cost of the new adult land far higher than it should actually be.




The other form of abuse you mention will no doubt continue as well.

However if only the extreme content is termed as adult, this problem is likely to be greatly reduced for the following reasons.

1 - Less content moving then demand falls dramatically, if less demand for adult parcels then potential profits fall to, so most speculators will not bother with low profit land gaming, as they want high returns.

2 - Extreme content stands out far more than most edge case mature content, so easier to flush out adult content in mature areas.

I did not tell her it was an original idea, just that it was a good one .