First the Germans... now the French are having a go

*grins tiredly* I explained to the Linden why Friday announcements are so bad.. and that it was because things have become so poorly explained that by announcing it on Friday, you let the users create tension by not addressing their issues immediately. Unfortunately, it seems the only part they listened to was the "Don't do it on Friday."

When has the term "family values" ever not been a euphemism for religious fundamentalism?

Lawsuits like this have more to do with symbolism and less to do with the law. Special interest groups will waste court time, tax dollars, and burn the defendant-victims' money by filing a lawsuit as a special kind of press release. If the case is dismissed, and they are sanctioned for filing a frivilous lawsuit, they become martyrs and take the court dismissal to their legislators asking for new laws because the damn liberal courts can't be trusted.

For some defendant-victims, capitulating is less expensive than paying a legal team to win a lawsuit. That's why a group might sue, say, Linden Labs, rather than Amazon.com.

Welcome to Justice.

Wait until we hear about the first poor soul in somewhere like (no country named here but doesn't take much imagination) being executed for joining SL!

To Quote Willie Nelson

Turn out the lights
The party's over
They say that
All good things must end
Call it tonight
The party's over
And tomorrow starts
The same old thing again

But the crazy crazy party
Never seen so many people
Laughing dancing
Look at you you're having fun
But look at me
I'm almost cryin'
That don't keep her love from dyin'
Misery cause for me the party's over
Turn out the lights...

I guess you're kinda joking... But just in case: this is not the general French attitude. The complaint was filed by a right-wing catholic group that does not represent the French population.

Regards,
MK

PS: I'm a frog.


-------------------

Adding some info: I paid a visit to "Famille de France" web site, the association that has filed the complaint. The full text is found here: http://www.familles-de-france.org/customer/product.php?productid=534&cat=&page=&XCARTSESSID=da82f4c322c197fbc7408195e4ef525f

It's a bit long to translate it here, sorry.

It seems to me that LL is doing the only thing they can at the moment, which is to create an "adult" classification for all sexually explicit content and remove access to anyone who cannot prove they are of legal age. I still disagree on the method and company they have chosen to perform this service, but either everybody gets age verified right at the front gate - which will kill new sign ups - or people age verify to access the adult content.

If I were sitting in Philip's chair, I'd be doing the exact same thing, only I'd have done it back in July 2006 and restricted accounts without credit card verification to PG areas only... It would have at least made this coming change less traumatic for everyone.

I detest moral crusaders with a passion. They're moral hipocrites from start to finish. The fact that many of them hide behind dubious banners of 'family values' or 'religion' only makes it worse for those who are sincere and actually practice their beliefs in their daily lives.

I know Broccoli Curry and I know that she and her player are quite sincere in their beleifs. I am an atheist and I respect their choices. It saddens me to see that many who subscribe to one or another of the many religions in the world are frequently tarnished with the brush of the religious extremism / intolerance espoused by the few scoundrels who hide amongst their ranks.

What can I say? Cowards, scoundrels and ne'er-do-wells have always used decent people as a cover for their injurious schemes. This FdF crowd are just another mob of morally bankrupt troublemakers who seek to disrupt the lives of others as a way of compensating for the aching vacuum in their own lives. They are all sound and fury signifying nothing.

Yeah, the Brits have a long history of sitting back and watching.

Just thought I'd take a shot...

But seriously, from what I can tell these French guys aren't asking for anything crazy...essentially they're suing for what LL is already planning on handling. I think this will end up getting thrown out (if LL doesn't surrender first ) and this group is just uninformed.

I think at very "worst" LL will have to rethink the age verification setup. I say "worst" because I don't think that's a bad idea at all!

I like Willie, but I prefer this one, the Old Classic, by Jule Styne:

The Party's Over, it's time to call it a day.
They've burst your pretty balloon and taken the moon away.

It's time to wind up the masquerade.
Just make your mind up the piper must be paid.

The Party's Over.The candles ficker and dim.
You danced and dreamed through the night,
it seemed to be right just being with him.

Now you must wake up, all dreams must end.
Take off your make up, The Party's Over.
It's all over, my friend.


Or we can use "Changes' by David Bowie...

We have? heck, I thought we jumped in and joined anything going

Credit cards are not good enough for age verification. Payment verified doesn't mean age verified.

Next you'll be telling us that the second world war started in December 1941 and that the Americans decoded the enigma machine

Why can't people just not look in areas where they think they might be offended? I'm talking about the French group now!

OMG, it's been what, a few WEEKS since age verification was announced? If LL is going to do it, then DO IT. I don't like the whole age verification thing myself, but to watch all this waffling around is driving me nuts.

They spend their time making pretty posts about pretty skies and pretty voice, and have let the age verification thing move to the back burner. They seriously need to start prioritizing. What's important, their future existence, or a goddamn sky?

That's what the movies tell us......

I was referring to Nazi Germany's build-up before WWII. Again, joking, though.

I dont dispute that.

However - the claim "the dont do anything to stop kids from using the service" would have been incorrect.

Its only recently that Visa made its statement about not being used for Age verification. The company would have of course still had to adjust to a more comprehensive policy to ward of criticism but between payment CC requirements and signing the deal with Integrity they could have made the arguement they were proactive about keeping minors out fo the grid.

As it was done; open verification is a bullseye painted on LL's posterior. They didnt even require payment details for adult content. Which could have been required in much the same way the "Adult" flag will be now.

"they dont do anything to keep kids out." was always a danger with the new policy. Thats got a lot more teeth as a sensationalist emotional claim ..

than ..

"well they only use credit cards to verify age like most adult sites do, and their replacement age verification is signed but not up and running yet."

Oh I think there was plenty of head burying on that one to go round.

That's OK. Pearl Harbor was a setup by the FDR to get us into WWII.

"We didn't land on the moon, the moon landed on US!" -Space Malcom X

I actually proposed a foolproof, reliable, and secure age verification system, and sent it to several LL staffers. It dissapeared into a black hole.

For anyone interested, and struggling to follow, I've posted a useful summary here:

http://www.stratics.com/content/portals/sl/index.php#newsitem1180978824,38455,

Broccoli

That statement actually dates back to October of 2002.

[EMCEE]
And now, meine Damen und Herren... Mesdames et Messieurs... Ladies and Gentlemen- The Kit Kat Klub is proud to present a most talented young lady from England. Yes- England!

I give you- and don't forget to give her back when you're finished with her- the toast of Mayfair... Fraulein Sally Bowles!!

[SALLY]
Mama...
Thinks I'm living in a convent,
A secluded little convent
In the southern part of France.

Mama
Doesn't even have an inkling
That I'm working in a nightclub
In a pair of lacy pants.
So please, sir.

If you run into my mama,
Don't reveal my indiscretion,
Give a working girl a chance!

Hush up,
Don't tell mama,
Shush up,
Don't tell mama...
Don't tell mama,
Whatever you do.
If you had a secret,
You bet I would keep it.
I would never tell on you.

I'm breaking every promise
That I gave her,
So won't you kindly do a girl
A great big favor?
And please, my sweet patater,
Keep this from the mater,
Though my dance
Is not against the law.

You can tell my papa, that's all right,
'Cause he comes in here every night,
But don't tell mama what you saw!

[ALL]
Mama
Thinks I'm on a tour of Europe,
With a couple of my school chums
And a lady chaperone.

Mama
Doesn't even have an inlking
That I left them all in Antwerp
And I'm touring on my own.

So please, Sir
If you run into my mama
Don't reveal my indiscretion.

[SALLY]
Just leave well enough alone.

Hush up,

[ALL]
Don't tell mama.

[SALLY]
Shush up,

[ALL]
Don't tell mama;
Don't tell mama
Whatever you do.

[SALLY]
If you had a secret,
You bet I would keep it.

[ALL]
I would never tell on you.
You wouldn't want to get me
In a pickle -

[SALLY]
And have her go and cut me off
Without a nickel.

[ALL]
So let's trust one another,
Keep this from my mother,
Though I'm still as pure as mountain snow.

[SALLY]
You can tell my uncle
Here and now
Cause he's my agent anyhow,

[KIT KAT GIRLS]
But don't tell mama what you know.

[SALLY]
You can tell my brother,
That ain't grim
Cause if he squeals on me
I'll squeal on him,

[ALL]
But don't tell mama, bitte
Don't tell mama, please, sir.
Don't tell mama, what you know.

[GIRLS]
Shhh!
Shhh!

[SALLY]
If you see my mummy
Mum's the word!

Ahh interesting

But it wasnt until recently that it was brought up in the Media with reguards to age verification and the internet. I think? Last few months.

Maybe it was brought up again.

They could have used CC's and just not took Visa as an age check, of course.

But Credit card Verification would keep out a lot more kids than the "I'm over 18" button.

Actually in a way it's the residents fault because we have always had the power to stop unverified "no payment info on file" people entering our land. But then we find friends can't get in because their country apparently doesn't have credit cards etc.