Open chat an IM'S whats the rules

Ok i play in a combat sim an i have been told different things about the copy an paste of local an I'M chats.

Is the copy of local chat into a group chat legal?
Also is the copy of I'M's an posting in local chat against TOS

So basically whats the rules about copy an pasting of chats?

Local chat is public. There's no restrictions on it, since anybody can hear it if they are close enough. It's against LL's TOS to copy and paste anybody's IMs to anybody else, in IM or local chat, without that person's permission.

Others will corect me, I am sure, but my understanding is posting of local chat into IMs should be OK as it was "public" but posting IMs or group chat into local chat requires consent of all participants since it is "private."

From http://secondlife.com/corporate/cs.php

Note that no distinction is made between open chat and IM.

As far as roleplay or combat goes, abide by the rules of the sim you're in. They can vary.

As far as ToS goes, it's a no-no to forward private IMs to others without permission. It's a no-no to forward local chat to someone who's beyond earshot without permission.

However, these restrictions are often violated. I've done it myself. It's so much easier to say, "Here's what So-and-so said to me" and paste an IM from your log, than to paraphrase them. And it ensures that you're quoting them absolutely accurately.

(Unless you're not, of course. If you doctor an IM log and then forward that as evidence in support of some accusation, that's just despicable.)

In most cases, these forwarded conversations are innocent, merely used to bring someone else up to speed about something. When it comes to using them to embarrass someone or get them in trouble with their friends/partners/LL, it's a great big Evil Deed in my opinion.

thanks so much for infor one last point,are the rules negated when your in a combat sim?

IE you break a rule in a combat sim the admins ask for a copy of local chat an also any IM between the two parties involved...thats legal ?
or still a big TOS no no

I routinely share conversation logs with friends when some yahoo says something particularly retarded or funny to me. Oh well, I guess I'm a TOS law breaker.

The official answer, I think, is: The rules are just what they say they are. See my post above. This is the letter of the law.

For the spirit of the law, which is what is usually enforced but there's no guarantee, see what Lindal says above.

What Meade said.

If the referees in a combat sim ask you for logs, you could stand on the ToS. On the other hand, they are asking in order to make a ruling, and that's their job. Do the rules of the sim say that you're obligated to comply with their requests? If they do, then you and everyone else agreed to abide by those rules when you signed up for combat there.

If you do decide to comply with the ToS, rather than the rules of the sim, don't be surprised if they ask you to (or make you) leave.

To add to the confusion, LL themself ask the residents to break the rules about passing on chat logs everytime someone files an AR.

Also most office hours have a sign out stating that chatlogs are recorded and can be quoted, so when you say something at an office hour you automaticly concent to have your chat logged and quoted.

GM's of a combat sim can use this 'trick' to get around the no copy pasting chatlogs rule.

To add further confusion also, the posting of chat logs, IM's on forums/blogs etc. not under LL control is also ok, not always a good idea, but not against the TOS, so remember anything you say in SL can end up on the web somewhere at sometime.

I felt i should stress this point...

If you use the Emerald viewer, chance is that your IM chat is encrypted (text is pale yellow instead of white) in this case, only you and your message recipient can read it.

You can then say/paste whatever you want because nobody (even Linden Labs) can prove what has been sent.

So , to all the Emerald users, if you are victim of IM harassment or other rude things, you should really turn off the IM encryption otherwise Linden Labs has no proofs that someone is verbally harrassing you in IM.

/me notices that this does not prohibit posting chat logs to the blogrums.

Most imporant just dont mix up your IMs liek I do and type "I'm cumming" to one bloke and plonk ot in your partner's IM as he comes on line.
It;s hard to explain.
"Oh sorry, Hal, I meant I'm coming"

I've made a chat relay in the past, that would let you hear what people say out of chat range, but someone told me it was forbidden by TOS. Well, I kinda liked it, it added some life to clubs.

Well, you could, I suppose, argue that "those are the BLOGS, you say so right on your webpage"...but I suspect LL would take a dim view of it. If you do decide to try it, I'll send you news updates on what's happening in world during your suspension.

It is forbidden by ToS, unless you obtain the consent of the person(s) being monitored.

I don't think it applies in instances where all it does is extend chat range in an obvious and expected way. For example, in a "town hall" format where the venue is larger than chat range, and repeaters are used to people on the stage don't have to shout for the audience to hear them and vice-versa. Certainly the Lindens have used such devices at times in their public meetings and town halls. Of course, you can say that they are allowed to break their own rules, but I'd say that is subject to debate.

If they own the repeater it's all good. The nono is if it repeats your say wether you agree or not.

I never thought about this being illegal. I used to work in a club that had one, and it sure made things easier.

Again, I don't think so. Read the relevant parts of the ToS again:

"Remotely monitoring conversations,"

It isn't "remote monitoring", because people present can hear it and have reasonable expectation that someone within clear sight, though still >20m away, should be able to hear them speak, as well as hear others speak who are >20m away from the listener, but still in the same venue. "Remote monitoring" would be having a listener that sent the chat to a location where no one would have a reasonable expectation from being overheard, like in a skybox 1000m above in the air, or in another sim.

"posting conversation logs, or sharing conversation logs"

It isn't a "log" of chat. Each line is repeated instantly as it is uttered. A "log" is where chat is collected, bundled, and location/time-shifted for later dissemination.