Comments on: Cybering on the Teen Grid? Lindens Adopt Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy.

By: Alyx Stoklitsky

Alyx Stoklitsky — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:29:30 +0000

Teens? Cybering? UNHEARD OF! … Not.

Personally, the fact that the teen grid even exists amuses the shit out of me, as any teenager wanting to get on the main grid can do so effortlessly.

And in regards to adult content, I haven’t seen anything in SL that I hadn’t already seen when I was 15.

By: Prokofy Neva

Prokofy Neva — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 19:40:14 +0000

Triona, I can only urge you to just re-read what I wrote. I said if anyone thinks their IMs are private from the Lindens, they believe in the tooth fairy. That means, yes, the Lindens have the capacity to read IMs like they can anything else in the game. They probably spot-check. I’m thinking with their staff stretched thin, with the limited tools that they have (I imagine) for use by people who are telecommuters, not in the office, they probably rely (too heavily in my view) on ARs. But they probably spot-check too. So what’s your point? Yes, they put it in the TOS. No, they don’t really pursue their TOS compliance very vigorously. Gosh, these Lindens aren’t much older than teens themselves, many of them.

I don’t think you should take the attitude that just because there is all kinds of smut and sickness on the Internet that kids can access that you should just give it a pass. You can let them know your own attitude toward it. You can do some filtering. There’s no sense to take an apathetic “anything goes” stance.

By: 782 Naumova

782 Naumova — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 08:42:30 +0000

I wonder who NS is? *cough cough*. Merc, next time don’t use inititals, there are only one or two people it could be and I guessed within a few seconds

If they want to, let them. I don’t care about that, it’s harassment that annoys me.

By: Triona

Triona — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 15:47:23 +0000

Prokofy, are you saying that the Lindens are just being apathetic to their own Terms of Services? The TOS were designed to protect the teens playing SL from illicit content. Why bother writing it in the TOS if they have no intention of actually pursuing it?

Furthermore, teens are rarely going to report anyone for illicit content, even if they do find it offensive. It’s a hassle. =) Besides, the damage would already have been done by the time a report is filed. It might prevent repeat offenses, but you only need one sicko IMing a young teen before they’re corrupted.
Never mind the fact that if they can access SL, they can access the internet, and they’re getting the illicit stuff elsewhere. It’s already too late.

By: Prokofy Neva

Prokofy Neva — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 04:31:33 +0000

Um, if you believe this: “well IMs are personal and private, and only seen by the participants” — you believe in the tooth fairy. Of course the Lindens have the capacity to monitor all IMs sent between residents. They may not have the ability to get all the telecommuters who police the grid as harried liaisons the tools to look at these IMs, nor would those harried monitors be able to check everything with thousands of people chatting.