Second Life creator Linden Lab is ’surprised and disappointed’ th...
Second Life creator Linden Lab is “surprised and disappointed” that Familles de France (FDF) sued without first coming to Linden with its concerns that minors may be exposed to harmful material in the virtual world, a spokesman told us…
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Wednesday (WID June 20 p1). Most of what happens in Second Life is appropriate for all users, but it is limited to those 18 and older, he said. A global system rolled out May 4 lets providers of the experiences verify local age requirements and control visitor access to their parcels of land in Second Life, which constitutes far better control than that exercised by traditional site operators, he said. Had FDF contacted Linden, it would have learned that Linden requires users to comply with the laws of their lands and that it cooperates with authorities on illegal activities, the spokesman said. “Despite the accusations of the plaintiff, which we strongly dispute, there are very few instances of users under 18 being able to enter the primary Second Life Web sites or of activity in Second Life that violates laws regarding child safety or minors’ access to adult material,” he said. As hosting provider, Linden does not supervise what people post on each island, but Second Life residents actively help ensure that the experience is safe and legal by reporting violations, the spokesman said. The company is confident the French court will understand its role as a responsible hosting provider, he said, noting government agencies, schools, companies, churches, charities and scientific bodies all are building “immersive, three- dimensional” offerings of their own.