The Key Question For Linden Lab

We have been over this so many times, but can I just point out again that the issue that has caused this storm:

a) SL was advertised on a paedophile website
b) The place showing sex with child avs was a 'brothel' for that purpose with several children and men having sex
c) The reporter was invited to a group with a large number of members for these activities
d) Real child porn was sent to the reporter

The film shown was quite disturbing and from the lasting effect it had on me, this was not just couples acting out fantasies, but SL being used to meet like minded people to engage in these activities.

While people shout that nobody was harmed, surely even if one of these paedophiles goes on to harm a child after practicing out in SL, that is one too many. If SL banning it can save even just one child, it's worth it.

Computer generated child porn images are illigal in over half SL users countries, which could result in prison sentances for just being captured on our computers. Who should be given more rights to SL, paedophiles or people doing nothing wrong?

SL also has a right to ban any activity it choses, whatever the law is in the US.



All this fighting for the rights of paedophiles I find even more sickening at a time the UK news is still full of news of a missing 3 year old girl

I agree...

But to the logic in te dicussion earlier in this thread, fantasy raping may lead to someone doing it in RL? Women are molestated daily as well.... which is just a crime and bad as sex involving children in my opinion.

So to safe one woman for being raped in RL, ban raping as well from SL?

(I know I am playing the devil advocate atm)

You should re-read the second to the last paragraph in my last post. This isn't about a woman being raped. Men get raped too. We could bring in all kinds of examples. But, this is about people who are getting off on child avatar sex in game.

I know that man get raped, you don't have to tell me. And I know what this about... But as soon people make statements that fantasies lead to RL acts, then I think it time to object.... or if you really believe this, then be hones to yourself and see the consquence such a idea may have to al more or less related subjects.

The whole issue is nothing to do with rape (though of course in child abuse it's automatically rape), but there will always be those that try to scaremonger by bringing up other activities/groups to make people support their own.

Actually no...

the attraction when one dresses up in baby clothes is a clothing fetish it's the clothes, acting out etc. that's the attraction NOT the idea of having sex with a minor.

RL people who dress up as , typically, babies have no interest in having sex with a minor.

HOWEVER

SL people acting out having sex with a minor clearly DO have that interest (or they wouldn't do it).

Would you rather that a person is hit by a car before a car owner is caught, because until then car owners have done nothing wrong?

It works with everything that can possibly be dangerous. You can't punish a person before they commit a crime, no matter for what reason. It would be madness to forbid cars and even punish car owners because there are traffic accidents. Yes, the traffic accidents are sad, and by allowing people to own cars we allow for other people getting killed. But all we can do is to enforce traffic laws and punish people when an accident did happen. Any further control creates a world that is not worth living in for anyone.



Some heterosexual men rape women. It's a known fact. Some control their feelings by jerking off to porn movies, or engaging in virtual sex, or visiting prostitutes. Outlaw all of these alternative options, and the number of rapes might increase.

Always insert another group of people, preferably a majority, to see if a statement can hold up.


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And if one of them happens to be a midget? Sorry, but it's the physical age that counts. The physical, legal age of any avatar is the age of the person behind the keyboard.



And having sex with an adult pretending to be a minor is also not illegal in RL. It's the same as having sex with a person pretending to be raped. Both are adults, it's consentual sex, so what?



And pretending to have sex in SL is not the same as having sex in RL. Nonetheless I'm even against virtual sex with a minor. But as long as both persons are adults (27 and 54 years in case of the two banned residents, for crying out loud), I don't care what their virtual costumes look like. That's what an avatar is: a costume.



Well, luckily for all of us, probably even for you, things aren't outlawed because the majority finds them inappropriate. There was a time when rock music was deemed inappropriate by the majority. And sex before marriage. And scratching your ear at the dinner table. Even today, most people think that being gay is inappropriate. Or, in case of the USA, that being an atheist is inappropriate.

We are all likely part of a minority with some of our tastes, be it clothing, hairstyle, food, music or whatever. Before you demand to outlaw an action, ask yourself: Is anyone harmed by it? Is anyone harmed when two adult persons have virtual sex? I don't think so. "It could lead to RL crimes" is a common argument... Some say that gays are also likely to abuse children. Or BDSM lifestylers. Or people of a certain culture or skin color, whatever people happen to dislike and fail to understand.

No, it isn't the same at all. Amongst other things, dressed-up adults cannot hide their adult sexual characteristics.