Working on a virtual worship article and would appreciate feedback please

Hello all SLer's!

I recently received approval for an abstract I submitted to the Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet and am interested in your feedback. I would like your thoughts about how virtual worship impacts real-world worship. If you are willing to participate in this anonymous survey, please go to:
http://is-nri.com/take?i=111429&h=vekmy6mWQG_B26Cmt0p0hA

If you have questions, please send me a private message.

Did you Obtain Permission from Linden Labs for this Research project here? It's my Understanding that they Require it.

Angel.

I'm an atheist, I don't attend any church services of any sort. I tried to complete the survey but it requires that you answer a question about frequency of virtual church attendance with an answer greater than zero, so I had to cancel it.

LQ I am sure this is a good faith survey on your part but you must be aware that not all of the world's religions practice regular worship sessions. If your survey is about the practices of Christians in SL then you need to make that more clear. Otherwise I am afraid that your results will make little sense.

I think most people's take rightfully so is that LL is naive to think that they can control research in SL. I don't see any upside ot them trying except for a waste of manpower on their part that could be spent better.

note: this only applies on the main grid not the teen grid since on the teen grid they definitely do have the moral and legal obligation to control this type of stuff.

still he has to ask especially when he post publicly here

well if LL enforces it that's one thing, but I for one won't complain since it seems like somewhat of an asshat move on LL's part considering that we're all adults who it can be assumed are smart enough to make our own choices.

If the research is taking place on some third party platform, and not in-world, such as this survey, then no blessing on the part of Linden Lab is required. The impropriety as I see it is in using this forum to solicit participants.


From the "About This Forum" sticky:

"Resident Answers is a simple, friendly place to ask your fellow Residents of Second Life for help."

Thank you all for your questions, comments, etc.
First, regarding whether I asked LL for permission--one of the last updates to the TOS removed the specifics about how research was to be conducted; and as Zaphod mentioned, the original TOS referred to in-world research. Second, I don't believe I've violated any rules since no one who completes the survey gives any identifying information; even if you want to get a link to the article or receive a copy of the compiled results, there is no way to link you to your responses.

However, I apologize if I was wrong to post the request for respondents in the forum.

Thank you Susie; I was aware of that and thought by including an option in the survey for folks who are non-Christian to indicate their belief system I covered that. But you are correct--a person would not know that until they got into the survey...

Yes, Suezanne--I am looking for folks who participate in some sort of virtual worship. The article I am writing will deal with virtual worship and real-world worship; I include meditation and other practices that people feel constitute worship in those categories since there are people who use the various meditation areas in SL as places of personal worship. Thank you for your willingness to participate!

Again, thank you all; peace!
LQ

I was not aware that the "research requires approval" rule had been rescinded.

I really wish the Linden Lawyer(s) would make a plain-language "summary of changes" when they change the TOS.. just like the government has to do when ballot measures are sent to the voters.