Do We Really Want Teens in Main Grid?

I'm addicted to SL, but not THAT addicted. If there isn't a totally adult continent or grid or the like in SL that I can be reasonably sure there's no zit-poppers, I'm out. I dont even do any of the SL sex things, but I cherish my right to be a sick ass adult if i should feel the need lol.

Don't worry, you're safe. This idea is only being entertained by a few vocal, paranoid alarmists and isn't likely to happen in reality.

I mentioned that this might happen(among other things) a few months ago and everyone thought this was an impossibility. Now that everyone knows how real it can become, is anyone willing to leave SL?
I for one do not want teens on the adult grid, and the excuse that kids of all ages are already on the internet meshed in with adults does'nt fly because the net is'nt a 3-d platform in which your forced to interact with others. SL will become a proving ground for would-be child predators. If LL wants to turn SL into a giant disney land, they better be prepared for what comes with that ( amusement parks are visited by predators more than the public would care to know, never mind who seeks employment there). Even if there are more teens on the grid than i think. Most must feel that they are out numbered, and they act accordingly, while others know they are not authorized to be here and walk very lighty.
My business will kick off around September, and i like the thought of being able to cater to two separate demographics(adult and teen). Besides, when i joined and payed my 72.00, i did'nt know the kids were going to be free with purchase. I have nothing against kids, but give them a place where they can be kids, and we can be fucking adults(wooops, did any of the kiddies hear me say fuck).

Other than the Fact that Dan L DID say it was going to be happening.

He didnt say when, but he said it would be.

It also doesn't fly because with places like myspace it's already been deemed that having adults mix with kids doesn't always work. As this is supposedly an 18+ playground, you'd need to move a lot of goalposts to allow kids in here.

no.

Actually it could be as simple as 4 steps.


1. Bring in Verification and the Adult Content Flag. (on its way)

2. Remove PG / M land titles. (already intended, according to Dan L)

3. Decree all Content that would not be appropriate for teens needs to be flagged.

4. Allow Kids in. (a stated eventual goal. According to Dan L)

The real difficult would be to get compliance on #3.

How is #3 different than what we currently have? There's no nudity, sex or cussing on PG land (in theory) and there is on mature areas. It's just changing names.

Again, I'm pretty sure you're misunderstanding what is being proposed. They're going to re-work the current system and take away the TERMS "PG" and "Mature" and replace them to reflect the new system they will make...someday.

I will agree that #s 3 and 4 will be hard to do, though. They can't even get ADULTS to follow #3 in it's current form and #4 is a HUGE legal mess that they might not come out of alive.

I think these are reasons why they are nowhere near putting any of this into anything more than a small classroom chat about the hypotheticals of managing a large virtual world.

Im not misunderstanding anything. I get that there will be more than one level of "Adult" content in Dan's concept. What Im saying is that as long as that proposed system restricts the parcel to people who are verified 18+ , it makes no difference functionallly except to those over 18 and verified.


If a theater follows the law - they wont let a 13 year old in a R rated movie. IT doesnt matter if its rated R for violence, sex, or language

But you're assuming age verification will mean the same thing when this happens as we take it to mean now. He mentioned a LOT of things that will be different by the time they would even start thinking about implementing anything like this.

Otherwise, I'm glad you could finally agree with me about the different rating levels!

Nothing changes about unverified people. A lot of that stuff is really immaterial as far as verification and content goes.

The most important aspect of verification - age and identity doesnt change based on what he said - in fact it sounded more like the system coming was what he was talking about.

All this linking with other online places - had better be voluntary and not required to access content.



I didnt change anything I said. It doesnt matter how many age limited ratings you have - for the unverified they will all not qualify.

One of the big aspects to keeping Mature and PG around is people think they will be have to not verify and pretty much live as they do now on Mature parcels.

When the Mature Rating goes away - the Unverifieds will not be able to.

Especially when Teens get to the grid since, like Ciaran said - the default threshold of content requiring adults only will be pretty much anything not pg

What Collette is proposing already exists.

The difference is LL has chosen NOT to do it. They could REQUIRE a Credit Card before logging in, but no. They allow people without Credit Cards to log in.

Yes, the argument that Teens can get a credit card is a valid one, and yes, it would not keep a persistent teen from getting in. However, to have a credit card in one's own name, one mast be 18. So if a Parent is allowing a teen to use a credit card, that parent is violating not only LL's ToS but also the ToS of the credit card. In which case, LL and us (the users) can wash our hands of it because the only person at fault are the Parents for A) letting a teen use a credit card, and B) for not paying attention to what the #$%^ their teen is doing. This seems to be the current US epidemic, as proven in a previous post that mentioned MySpace.

PARENTS: PARENT YOUR CHILDREN. TELL THEM 'NO;' ITS OK IF THEY AREN'T YOUR FRIEND.


I for one am not against age or identity verification. I am only against the careless, unthought-out, security risk of a plan that is currently being considered. It's bad enough LL has moved Credit Card Processing to the UK... When you buy Lindens, your credit card number traverses the Atlantic Ocean... Next, your SSN and your Identity... Then, we'll have to give Neo the damn pill, and he'll have to save us.

So come up with a plan that doesn't put our information at risk while at the same time, saving the precious little innocent children from seeing pr0n. They can get that in their dad's closet or chest of drawers anyway...

I am interested in education. I had one of the "best educations" money could buy - but 90% of teachers were simply facilitators - or boring. It turned me off learning so much that I did not go to university and made my own way in life. University is simply another word for Meritocracy and elitism in my opinion. My work brings me in some contact to young adults/teens - but from a distance - in a strange way. But (this is completely off my original topic) I am glad I dont have children that require educating. To be fair, I was horribly rebellious and precocious as a child and teen, so maybe teachers (and prospective lecturers) equally glad to see the back of me. Lol.
By the way I am reading every comment made here and I am VERY interested in the discussion.

You are not wrong at all. I think part of the reason i got into education was that the teachers that reached me really made an impression, sadly they were outnumberd by those that simply didn't care or used the classroom to further their own particular agenda, especially at the college level. but here in the States anyway, education has become so politicized, with adminstrators and school boards only concerned with political correctness, and Parents who use scholls as extended babysitting services, it's hard to stay optimistic sometimes. Property owners pay hiogher and higher tax rates, many who haven't sent a child to public school in years, mny staes such as mine earmark part of gambling profits for education, yet it's still not enough. We have to have bake sales to fund basic needs, extra curricular activities are done away with, I have to wait 6 weeks to get a box of crayons, so I but them myself. I don't mind when students are opinionatd and bristle at authority, as long as it isn't disruptive. I went to catholic School for 12 years, but I wasn't a teachers pet. I 've always had a big mouth, my parents taught me to never be afraid to question authority but to do it in the proper way. I want my students to have opinions, and to question mine if they see fit. But when I give them facts I tell them "The truth is the truth. You can't have opinions about truth".

This might be true if you define meritocracy as sitting in a room with 150 other people while some tax fattened parasite or a TA who has never been in the real world drones on and on about how "It isn't fair that I have to pay for my health insurance when the enlightened government of Castro provides health care free to all his subjects."

After the Air Force I made it two years at the university before I grew tired of the B.S. and idiots with PHD's who shoveled it daily.

But a college degree does show the future employer that the holder is able to sit in a mind numbing room and preform useless work on command.

(Edit) The Sorority girls were fun!!!!!!

LOL

You quit right when the 150 people classes would have ended. The actual in depth stuff starts at the 300 (junior) level. With smaller class sizes, and the better professors teaching them.

Though I have to admit the first year of College especially, there is a LOT of classes like which you described.

Got an opportunity to get into a cabinet making apprenticeship, couldn't pass that up. Ended up much happier working with my hands making things than I would have been stuck in an office somewhere.

Is nothing wrong with that

I just meant that College isnt as bad as you made it out,

Basically those big lecture hall First Year classes are taught by the new professors or those without a demonstrated ability to publish. Sometimes Professors such as department heads who dont want to be teaching the class (and often being department head is the result of politics not ability) Or perhaps the regular professor who drew a short straw.

You are also in class with people to whom the subject area isnt likely their interest - so if the lecture is in your major you will find the subject matter far too simplisitic and slow paced.

The real learning takes place once you've survived those early classes.

LOL - though a SL virtual lecture hall would even be WORSE than the real thing.

"Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about about mission statements."

Not only that,

Your boss today - may not be your boss tommorrow -

In places like that they redo the org chart quarterly ;pPpP

So did I, but I never experienced the facilitator problem - unless you're really expressing the concept that by college, you're expected to do much of the learning on your own, instead of the way teachers spoon feed stuff at lower levels.

Besides, much of the learning really happens by being surrounded by other students, all of whom are qualified to get one of those "best educations" (not counting the spoiled brat legacy sons of future presidents).


Almost all of life is a meritocracy one way or another. All that changes is the scale being used. Whether it's the prestige of getting a 4.0 GPA, the compensation and ego boost from being promoted to a senior manager, connecting with the most caring, loving spouse, it's all about making decisions about other people according to how they good they in some dimension.

My friend's kid is on the teen grid. I was looking over his shoulder one day while I was over at her house, and guess what's on the teen grid? I had to totally laugh... prim penises, sex poseballs, etc etc. How totally ironic. I sort of doubt that the heavy duty BDSM stuff is there, but the basic orgy rooms are there... kids these days have sex in RL at the age of TWELVE... who do we think we're kidding?


*shakes her head*

Well - they did when I was a kid too (Quite a few years ago)

The thing is the 12 and 14 year olds werent having sex with 40 year accountants, etc.

Personally I dont see the issue with two teens cybering each other. But somehow im sure some action group would lose it over such a thing.

And of course some parents are still going to blame LL rather than their kid for cybering someone.

I don't want teens on the maingrid. Dealing with so-called adults who act like teenagers is bad enough half the time, I really don't want to deal with teenagers.

I am finding this a fascinating thread and have been very interested in opinions on education. I intend to open a SL art museum shortly - perhaps I can make a "dent" in the need for true arts on the web by using some of the wonderful artists out there.
But - please - continue with comments on this thread. Very interesting and thoughtful.