Month: May 2009

Can we please just be adult about this?

Posted on by Inara Pey

On April 21st, Cyn Linden posted an “update” relating to changes to Adult Content in Second Life. As is usual with such postings from Linden Lab personnel there was much talk about about discussions with residents, brown-bag meetings and implementing the changes “in the least disruptive way possible”.

This has amounted to a case of being the good, the unfortunate and the ugly.

  • The good: LL have apparentlybroadened the means of Age Verification to include having Payment Information Used as a means of verification (although this has yet to be confirmed on the Age Verification page) – so as long as you’ve used a credit card to purchase linden dollars in-world, you’re “verified” – the only problem you may encounter is if a sim owner opts to set the “Age Verification” flag on their sim, in which case you will need to be age verified to enter
  • The unfortunate: the Adult Continent is a fact of life (Ursula), despite Linden Lab’s previous assurances the option of a ring fenced PG region would form a part on-going discussions in the matter
  • The ugly: Linden labs seem determined not to engage with those of those active in the SL BDSM community as to what is considered “Mature” – as opposed to “Adult” – content.

That LL have opted to push ahead with the Adult Continent (indeed, have built it) should come as no surprise. Let’s face it, they’d already determined this would be the case before the first announcement relating to “adult content” was ever made – just as they’d already determined their course of action with regards to OpenSpace sim long before the initial announcement relating to them was made last year.

What is of concern, however, is the lack of engagement of the definition of “adult content”. Make no mistake, the current definitions, by-and-lage, are far too broad to suggest D/s and the majority of BDSM activities / products are “safe” from an “Adult” classification. Indeed, so subjective are the definitions, its fair to say that currently, BDSM could be said to fall squarely into the “Adult” category.

  • Representation of intensely violent acts? Well – a whipping would, in most social circles, be regarded as a violent act. As would a kidnap role-play (taking someone ostensibly against their will)
  • Photo-realistic nudity? – yup, tends to occur in both advertising and in the fact many subs prefer to be nude or at least semi-nude at at times
  • Expressly sexual themed content? Hmmm….one might argue that D/s and BDSM is not purely about sex, but within SL few could argue that a large part of BDSM play is related to eroticism and “sexual themes”

Clearly, the big differentiator in matters is that D/s and BDSM are consenual acts – and this is the first thing the current definitions fail to address.

But it goes far beyond this, and right now, the one thing Linden Lab (again) appears unwilling to do is actually engage with people raising genuine concerns. There is much about D/s and BDSM that can be taken outside of the context of either “sex” or “violence” (again; is it really violent if the parties involved are clearly consenting to the actions in which they are participating (using a precept such as RACK)?); so where does it fall in the scheme of things?

Yet Linden Lab – specifically Cyn and Blondin Linden – repeatedly duck the issue when asked for clarification. And even when they do comment, they manage to increase concern and confusion.

For example, on the one hand we’re told “representations of intensely violent acts” are “Adult”, but then Blondin Linden pops into the forum an states that combat sims are merely “Mature”…

Given that combat sims frequently include mutilation, shooting, violent street fighting, knifings, dismemberment and many of the more advanced forms of violent death, it is hard to see how they don’t fall under the banner of “Adult” – yet Blondin open states this is to be the case!

AND….in the same breath Blondin intimates that a stip club will be “Mature” unless it uses certain “adult keywords” for search purposes, in which case it will be classificed as “Adult”. This gets even more confusing given that Blondin also states that while such a “keyword list” is being defined, LL will not release it as they don’t want it “gamed” – but if the list is not published, how are venue owners supposed to know when the have crossed the line from “Mature” to “Adult”?

And this is the crux of the problem: how are we supposed to enter into an adult discussion on and adult topic which will have far-reaching implications for the whole of Second Life when Linden Lab employee cherry-pick the questions they will answer?

Well, for one thing, we should – and must – avail ourselves of the one channel of expression they’ve given us: the forum thread. PLEASE, if you haven’t done so, take 5 or 10 minutes out to go over the thread and add your reasoned arguments as to why LL need to be more open and clear-cut in defining what constitutes Adult Content.

At the same time, to take a leaf right out of Dari Caldwell’s book, IM Blondin Linden and again politely let him know that simply ignoring questions and turning a deaf ear to legitimate concerns is not the manner in which responsible adults behave.

SL has suffered significant setbacks in user trust over the the 12 months (and I’ll refrain from making a major comment on how that “coincidentally” matches the time Mark Kingdon has been at the helm). While there may well be legitimate issues for introducing better “Adult” controls to SL (at least in some measure) the way they are going about it at present is very negative and risks further erosion of their credibility among adult users….

LL to redefine “Adult content”

Posted on by Inara Pey

Adult content has always been a part of the Second Life experience. In this it is fair to say that not only have Linden Lab been aware of it given that the main grid is for “over 18s” – they have tacitly promoted many aspects of adult content in order to increase their user-base (look at the number of adult content references in the welcome areas for proof of this).

But…..sensitivities exists, and not just with regard to protecting minors – there are many users in SL who would just as soon they were not confronted with “adult” activities at every turn – whether those activities are sexual in nature, incorporated BDSM or are “simply” related to combat environments. Therefore, it is fair to say that some level of control to limit the risk of unwanted exposure to “adult” material should be part and parcel of the Second Life experience.

So it is no surprise that Linden Lab today make this announcement. On the surface it sounds pretty reasonable – almost a straighforward tightening of existing controls (we are, after all, already able to remove adult content from the results of searches; there is already something of an age verification system within SL, etc.).

However, appearances can be deceptive. Anyone with even the slightest interest in “adult” content reading this announcement and following the included links should have every right to feel concerned at the alarm bells the Lab’s words set clanging away.

Firstly there is the announcement of the intent to “relocate” those Mainland users with “adult content” to a new region within Second Life. Then there is Linden Lab’s amazingly broad description of the term “adult content”. so broad is it that it is actually hard to see where the line will be drawn, given that even photo-realistic skins could now be classified as “adult”, and thus the creators of such products with Mainland stores could be forced into relocating.

Of course, various individuals within Linden Lab (such as Jeska linden) have been quick to leap in with assurances that only “extreme” adult content will be affected. But where do you draw the line at “extreme”? While I think it fair to say that the majority of us view harsh sexual representations such as gross torture, snuff, gore, etc., as extreme; it is equally true than some people not involved in BDSM find mild whippings or floggings unacceptable, while others view any form of BDSM practice as “deviant” and quite possibly “extreme”.

Then there is matter of combat simulations. Where do they become extreme? Is shooting someone and seeing blood splatter from them extreme? Is decapitation in the field of combat extreme? Some may well say yes – and yet scenes such as this are precisely what is seen in many, many computer games, not all of them rated over 18 and thus not regarded as “adult content”.

And that’s the problem. While few of us would by-and-large disagree on what constitutes “extreme” acts of violence when taken to the obvious extremes of mutilation, etc., there is an awfully big grey area in which one person’s enjoyment is another person’s anathema.

So how then do you establish guidelines that are not going to be equally open to subjective interpretation and could lead to the unnecessary and involuntary forced relocation of Mainland users to a new “adult themed” continent.

And therein lies another rub. Not only would the forced relocation of Mainland users create a huge upheaval in people’s Second Lives (not to mention the associated ill-will towards Linden Lab it will generate) – it could quite possibly start a stampede towards private sims that could effectively kill-off large tracts of the Mainland. Even with the price differentials between Mainaland and private islands, there are doubtless many who will take a gamble and sell-up their Mainland holdings and move to private island sims rather than end-up in a glorified ghetto.

So what is the alternative? Some have suggested that, rather than creating an “adult content mainland”, Linden lab sould move in the other direction – create a wholly PG environment, possibly in the new Ursula content, and restrict all new SL users to this continent until such time as they opt to become Age Verified and/or place Payment Information On File.

However, it is not a complete answer. What about those who already have a stake in the Mainland and who are sensitive to any number of “adult” activities? They’d be unaffected by the creation of such a new PG-rated continent, so it could be argued that such a move fails to address the position in which they find themselves. Again, one of the major arguments roled out by early supporters of this proposed approach by Linden Lab is that it will mean that people are no longer “at risk” of buying a mainland parcel for their home and then finding they suddenly have a sex club as a neighbour – but these arguments are invalidated on two counts:

  1. Mainland is already zoned between Mature and PG: if people opt to purchase land on a Mature rated sim, then they must be aware of the risk they are taking in doing so
  2. Even under the new proposals – if the vague guidelines suggested by Jeska Linden et al are observed, then a move of “extreme” adult content won’t make one itoa of difference to where the majority of Mainland sex clubs are located because they won’t meet the classification of “extreme” adult content as given.

Does this mean that such people are stuck with their situation? No. How to re-align the Mainland to suit all sensibilities is a headache – and it is one of Linden Lab’s own making for failing to properly consider the nature of “adult” and “mature” activities from the outset and defining guidelines that were so vague as to be worthless. Again, one of the simplest guidelines that could have been adapted was that all Mainland residential land must be rated PG. That would have avoided many of the problems people now face vis-a-vis finding themselves with sex clubs sitting next door.

Even so, establishing a G or PG continent for new users offers many benefits over an ill-conceived move of Mainland adult content to its own continent:

  • It provides an acceptable environment for SL users of all ages – this being a particular concern given Philip Rosedale’s statements that he would like to see the main grid and Teen Grid “come together” in the neasr future
  • It provides a suitable environment for those corporate entities who wich to have a presence within SL but who are concerned with the more adult elements of the game with a safe environment in which to set-up shop
  • It could provide an environment where Mainland residents with concerns over Mature content could voluntarily relocate to (OK, this is’nt a perfectly straightforward thing, given the complexities of land ownership and rental, etc., but it could be worked through)
  • It provides a focal point for the who revamp of the “first hour experience” for new users

But it is not perfect. Doubtless there are those who would view such a G/PG-reated continent as the perfect target for mass griefings of the IACFPA* variety, which would totally undermine the function of such an environment. But it has to he said that such a risk aside, this step is infinitely preferably to what amounts to an otherwise forced relocation of what is liable to be – whether Linden Lab and non-adult oriented users like it or not – a very large section of the SL community.

But right now, this matter is simply too important for any of us with the remotest interest in adult activities -whether we engage in BSM, whether we enjoy lumping each other over the head with sharp bits of metal or pumping holes in one another using bang sticks, or whether we simply spend our time as nude models – to remain quiet.

So I strongly urge all of you still reading this blog to follow the link above – read the announcement, check-out the linked FAQs and then make sure your voice is poisitively heard in the forums.

  • It is important that any definition of “adult” content is properly conceived to achieve a genuine balance of interests, rather than a Lindenesque interpretation of “resident’s interests”
  • Whether or not you own land on the Mainland, input into the relocation debate is important if we are to prevent a potentially damaging route march of enforced relocations and the possible creation of a “ghetto continent” and sub-culture within SL.

*IACFPA – the Infamous Ashe Chung Flying Penises Attack, when a press conference with Anshe Chung was disrupted by the appearance of hundreds of flying penises….