Comments on: Virtual Law Quicklinks: Second Life Content Theft, Guitar Gambling, Griefers, Goods, and Calling 5-0

By: Benjamin Duranske

Benjamin Duranske — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:24:14 +0000

@3 – Taran, I think you linked to this article accidentally rather than the one you meant. But I suspect you’re referring to the piece Lillie Yifu (the smartest virtual hooker in the world) posted at 2nd Sex recently, which I just found too.

http://sexsecond.blogspot.com…/prices-in-second-life-need-to-rise.html

If not, can you post the link again? Either way, Lillie’s piece is worth visiting…

By: Taran Rampersad (Nobody Fugazi)

Taran Rampersad (Nobody Fugazi) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:19:29 +0000

I came across a good counterpoint on the creator issue:
http://virtuallyblind.com/2008/02/06/quicklinks-feb-5-2008/

I couldn’t comment there, but I’ll add that a service provider who creates content on the fly may also be considered a creator – like a performance artist (art, pr0n, you know).

Worth reading, anyway.

By: ^^

^^ — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:36:27 +0000

@the l33t-lifting: I bet the police were intrigued until the guy started talking about piccolos…

@griefing: from the macro-social perspective, virtual worlds are a safety valve reducing mayhem in the real world. For that reason alone, the Powers That Be are going to want to leave griefers alone to get their pecking order problems out of their system. However, if they cross back over to acting up in the real world, then there are probably ten MOTHERS AGAINST groups waiting in the wings to attribute their behavior to exposure to virtual violence. :-/

By: Sophrosyne Stenvaag

Sophrosyne Stenvaag — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:39:51 +0000

I think you’re right that most griefing isn’t criminal, but there’s a good question as to what the social/political response should be.

Is griefing relatively harmless fun, or the hostile intimidation of minority views and groups? Terrorism, post-modern social commentary, or the equivalent of hostile talk radio?

I’m hosting a discussion event Saturday, February 9 from 1-3pm SLT, as part of the ongoing series Sophrosyne’s Saturday Salon. Our guests will be Hiro Pendragon, who you cited, and Clever Zebra’s Lordfly Digeridoo, for a discussion of the politics and culture of griefing.

The event will be in The Nexus in Extropia Core in Second Life, Extropia Core (127, 68, 24). It is open to anyone who can join in a polite and civil discussion.