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Kellie_Cantrell
Senior Member

since 2002-05-22

Posts 1667
New York

0 posted 2008-03-10 08:52 PM

I just wanted to get some opinions on an issue of the virtual world. Poet deVine your thoughts on this are going to be very meaningful to me especially, since you are in SL.

I play a child avatar. My avatar has a family, friends, goes to school and is even on the cheer squad. A lot of things I couldn't ever do in rl. Reliving a second childhood.

Lately, a lot of perverts have surfaced in our relatively safe online community. Asking kids to take off their clothing. There is a place called wonderland that has kids and adults engaging in inappropriate acts. Another place called Camp Lalinda. Another place where this goes on.

Skynews in the UK held a forum recently in SL and basically got boo'd out by our community because they contradicted much of what they had to say to us. I am in the video on stage with them. My dress is leopard print, blonde hair.

The kids of SL went in to this to give our side. The safe side of sl. Now we wonder WHAT IS SAFE?

There is a group with 276 members called Young Escorts for Money. These people are sick and I hope that the media targets this group and something happens here.

Heres the link to the video http://video.news.sky.com/skynews/video/?&videoSourceID=1308113

[This message has been edited by Kellie_Cantrell (03-10-2008 09:25 PM).]

Poet deVine

Administrator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-05-26

Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley

1 posted 2008-03-11 11:54 AM

First, please know that the video news report may offend some people as it depicts an adult male avatar and a child-like avatar. And although there is no sexual content it is implied that there could be.

That being said, I'd like to address your post Kellie.

quote:

Lately, a lot of perverts have surfaced in our relatively safe online community.

“Lately” is not accurate. They have been and always will be on any website you log into. YouTube has them. Facebook has them. My Space has them. Even PiP has them. That being said, if you are aware they are here/there among us then you are one step closer to understanding how to deal with them. “relatively safe online community” is also something that you should be aware of as the internet itself is relatively safe if you know where to go and how to avoid the unsafe elements.

quote:

There is a place called wonderland that has kids and adults engaging in inappropriate acts. Another place called Camp Lalinda. Another place where this goes on.

Wonderland has been closed as the news report states. I have no idea about Camp Lalinda. But there are so many other places where inappropriate acts occur. They can and do occur in an avatar's private residence (as evidenced by the video).

quote:

There is a group with 276 members called Young Escorts for Money. These people are sick and I hope that the media targets this group and something happens here.

The members of the group should all be adults. The fact that they want to portray young girls/boys who are escorts (another word for prostitute) is disturbing. The motto of SL (Second Life) is 'your world, your imagination'. So there are 276 adults out there who want to pretend they are 'young escorts' and have virtual sex for money. Now THAT makes me sick!Everyone in SL has the right to file an Abuse Report against another member. If this offends anyone, they should be filing a report – but remember – we don't know how old these avatars are supposed to be. 'Young Escorts' could mean 20, 21, 19, 30'! Who is at fault here for having an escort who appears to be younger than the legal age 18? The person soliciting? Or the escort pretending to be so young? Frankly both!

Here is part of the Term of Service of Second Life:

quote:

4.1 You agree to abide by certain rules of conduct, including the Community Standards and other rules prohibiting illegal and other practices that Linden Lab deems harmful.

(iv) take any action or upload, post, e-mail or otherwise transmit Content as determined by Linden Lab at its sole discretion that is harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, causes tort, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable;

Second Life is for those who are over 18. Those under 18 are required to use the Teen Second Life. Age verification has been instituted and responsible adults get verified (I have done it). Therefore, let's assume that there are NO children using Second Life, only adults posing as children. If someone under 18 is on the SL adult grid, you can be sure that someone will find out and have them banned. And frankly, I don't see a kid in the adult grid wanting to have a child's avatar, they probably want to be someone older (or an animal). So that means most children in SL are adults in real life and know the boundaries of what is right and what isn't.

That leaves us with the issue of adults (such as yourself Kellie) choosing to have a 'Second Life' avatar that is a child. For your own reasons, as you stated, it is to experience the things you never could in RL. Let me relate a couple of experiences I've had lately.

A friend and I went to a 'zoo' in SL. We were walking around chatting and then saw this woman and small child wander into the area. My friend and I continued our chat and as it is done in typing, it can be seen by anyone within 200meters of us. My friend said something like 'damn' or 'hell' and the child avatar then spoke up 'Oh Mommy he said a bad word!' At first I was going to ignore the comment and take our chat to the invisible Instant Message area (private discussion). But my friend said something derogatory about allowing kids in adult areas (the are we were in was listed as Mature as opposed to PG). Swearing is allowed in Mature areas. The child avatar rambled on and on and became annoying. My friend and I left.

Week before last a group of us went to a nightclub that specializes in 50's and 60's music and dances. We are all older in RL (Real Life) and enjoy music from our era. We teleported in and what do we see? A child avatar dancing with a what appeared to be her mother. And not only that, the mother clearly was pregnant (and in SL the woman's belly can talk to let everyone know how happy the growing baby is inside mommy!). I asked 'is this kid's night'? Someone replied that it wasn't. But here was a child avatar, dancing in an adult club (Mature area)doing dances made for adults – and while they are not sexual they are certainly not childlike dances! The five of us left quickly. That club lost me as a customer and lost our tips.

I do not put myself into situations where I have to deal with children in SL. It's my choice. Kellie if you choose to pretend to be a child, that's your choice. But you are an adult and can make adult choices.

In that video, the reporter assumed a child's avatar and allowed a stranger to teleport 'her' to an unknown location. As an ADULT, do you think that's a good idea? No. I would never do it. And if it's an unsuspecting adult such as yourself who did do it and found yourself in that situation, you can just log off or teleport out (but not until you filed an Abuse Report I hope).

Roleplaying is prevalent in SL. Adults choose who they are and what they do. You choose to RP as a child (more of a teen I think though right?) while other choose to RP as members of Star Trek, or as Hobos, or as Old West Gunfighters! It is adults having fun.

If you find perverts in SL – report them! If someone asks you to take off your clothes – report them! Linden Labs will ban them, you can be sure of it. They are trying to police SL as best they can but with 55,000 people online at one time, it can be hard. Especially if they are from different countries! The US is not the most represented country..I think some European countries such as Germany and Spain have more members than we do. And of course the legal age of consent is different in a lot of places.

Bottom line? Be aware of your surroundings and don't hesitate to file a report.

And email me a pic of yourself!

Poet deVine

Administrator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-05-26

Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley

2 posted 2008-04-05 03:21 AM

Kelly, didn't mean to scare you off. Seems I caused a dead end to the conversation here. I'm sorry!

Kellie_Cantrell
Senior Member

since 2002-05-22

Posts 1667
New York

3 posted 2008-04-23 08:27 AM

ahhh no problem. I don't think you derailed it. I'm at work right now. I will come back to this when I get home if I don't forget.

Mysteria

Member Laureate

since 2001-03-07

Posts 18328
British Columbia, Canada

4 posted 2008-04-23 01:13 PM

Well as you know I am not a really active participant due to time constraints these days but enjoy the concept, and dropping in there. I saw some of what you speak of in there Kelly, and Sharon is right, it is everywhere. It is entirely a matter of making responsible decisions, and acting on them in a positive manner. We are on the internet, and you have to be careful who you interact with - plain and simple. Sharon ahs covered all that needed to be said perfectly, so I just hope that Second Life continues to monitor as well as they have been thus far. My favorite of course was when CSI employed Second Life in an episode - love that show!

Kellie_Cantrell
Senior Member

since 2002-05-22

Posts 1667
New York

5 posted 2008-04-24 12:37 PM

I love it tooo... maybe on friday you guys would like to come visit the elementary school I attend and tell my class what poets do!!!

Lets talk, its career week this week.

Hugs

Poet deVine

Administrator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-05-26

Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley

6 posted 2008-04-24 09:08 AM

I would love that Kelly...send me an email with your SL name and we'll get in touch. I'll also introduce you to my library friends. Friday is party night and we're dressing up as Shakespearean characters.

Sharon, didn't know you were still in SL.. when you can, let me know your name and we'll get in touch.

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