Residents Demand Warning Label For SL
by Alphaville Herald on 03/09/08 at 10:34 pm
SL can be addictive – activists organize JIRA petition for Lab action
by Mony Markova
Rallying to the cry of Activist Unite, concerned citizens are coming together to address the dreaded Second Life Addiction Syndrome — an ugly topic that is all to common, though seldom mentioned in metaverse society.
What’s new? This very unpopular, scary issue is going official with a ticket on JIRA – the metaverse residents’ only way of asking for help from the game gods. Activist Unite are hoping for your vote, in hopes of convincing the superpowers at Linden Labs to take this problem seriously. That will only happen if people vote for it.
As you can see from this EllipticBlog entry from 2004 – which is still drawing comments – the SL addiction problem has many angles – but this JIRA petition is not an attempt to control or limit SL in any way. The proposed action is ONLY to make sure people its aware of the possibility of toxic immersion, so that they can be more careful of this “rare” possibility, and you know, just in case, help prevent it.
Each person entering SL should be aware, like the epilepsy warning on games, of the possibility of toxic immersion and addiction – we ask LL prepare a message in its own terms, even before they could be suggested by law.
After having experienced this in person, having tried to work on it, understanding it, meeting people and reading real life cases, and hearing all the reasons why this is right or wrong, I know this is a very complex issue; my ONLY request is to ask LL to place warnings to let new citizens be aware of this, nothing more.
Please come to vote here: http://jira.secondlife.com/browse/MISC-1515 and speak your mind, whether you are for or against this suggested action by Linden Lab.
[Watch Your Balance photomontage by Kralli Schnabel]
Bemused
Sep 3rd, 2008
“Ensure a great …” The word is “Insure.” Ensure is a suppliment drink.
IntLibber Brautigan
Sep 4th, 2008
Oh for christs sakes…..
GROW THE HELL UP, THIS AINT YOUR NANNY’S SECOND LIFE.
Anything is addicting when done with obsession. When you get done smoking, drinking, getting your welfare check, turn off your tv, stop running endlessly, listening to your iPod, sucking down Starbucks, then you can start complaining about SL being addicting.
SHUT. THE. HELL. UP.
myabutreeks
Sep 4th, 2008
“ensure, insure, and assure are interchangeable in many contexts where they indicate the making certain or inevitable of an outcome, but ensure may imply a virtual guarantee, while insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand …”
Meh, I say let social darwinism or whatever sort it out.
Angel
Sep 4th, 2008
LOL @ Bemused. You phail
Insure: protect by insurance; “The insurance won’t cover this”
Ensure: To make sure or certain of something (usually some future event or condition)
Sen
Sep 4th, 2008
@ Bemused
“Ensure a great …” The word is “Insure.” Ensure is a suppliment drink.
Maybe your point would carry more weight if you hadn’t made a similar mistake?
It’s supplEment
Oh and “ensure” is correct too…..
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ensure
Dani
Sep 4th, 2008
Of all the grammar issues with this article, Bemused, you pick on ensure/insure? That’s the one thing she got right. Ensure is not just an energy drink. It also means “to make sure or certain”. Insure means “to guarantee against loss or harm”, as in what an insurance policy does.
Grammar aside, is this article serious? Game and internet addiction may be a real problem, but it’s not Linden Lab’s responsibility.
Corona Anatine
Sep 4th, 2008
ensure, insure, and assure are interchangeable
not so they have definite meanings
ensure is to check something
she ensured that the door was locked before she left
insure is to pay for protection agianst accident of fate
she ensured that she had insurance against theft
assure is to confirm something to another verbally
she assured herself that her insurance document insured her provided she ensured she kept her door locked
Funny How
Sep 4th, 2008
funny how the discussion turns into a vocabulary dicussion .
LMAO
fact is the addiction problem is true;
justask the nicholas gangsta trouble makers.
some of these losers log in 24/7 cutting into work time and bring to the table bigger concerns of corporate IT abuse, ethics and personal neglect.
But warnning labels dont help
Activist orgs and outreach efforts do
Mony Markova
Sep 4th, 2008
Hello everyone,
1) Yes this article is serious
2) No not blaming LL for this phenomenon – quite the contrary
3) After lots of work, observing and learning about this REAL problem that can be very bad for some people, we know there is no sense in trying to contol it (its beyond the capabilities of the platform or people)
4) Even when a warning will not solve it froom root causes, it is the only, non intrusive measure we can suggest, besides to all nah sayers, doesnt this give you the ultimate answer? Will be like saying, “stop moaning you addict, we even told you so, we warned you before hand”. This easy measure, its also very easy to do.
5) It wont hurt anyone to display a WARNING to a real and serious matter
One of most revered books of human kind, reads, “He who saves one person, saves the world” I dont know if we will help ease the trouble by THOSE few and very rare, sad people that become, obsessed with SecondLife to an unhealthy point. But its is worth to at least let them know this can happen.
Obssesion is a very good way to describe it!
Just a note, I must apologyze for my poor English, this works has been done by people like me that dont speak English as a first language, and sadly I sent this article without the review by my editor Sigmund. Honestly I apologize for that distraction from the main issue.
Now you can vote or comment this issue here:
http://jira.secondlife.com/browse/MISC-1515
You can learn about this reality here:
http://elliptic.typepad.com/elliptic_blog/2004/01/second_life_add.html
Or if you like videos check this story by BBC:
1. http://youtube.com/watch?v=PniWHuv9Xko
2. http://youtube.com/watch?v=0s5CTLRVUPY
3. http://youtube.com/watch?v=G91yGTVE3cg
4. http://youtube.com/watch?v=06J89zCJGac
To Intlibber: No, I am not going to SHUT.THE.HELL.UP. Most things you pointed out, carry a warning, (drinking, cigarretes) except collecting your welfare money, going to Starbucks. I suggest to you: GET INFORMED, or maybe I pointed out a hurtful reality for you?
Erik
Sep 4th, 2008
@bemused: spelling issues aside, your list of activities summarizes my life quite nicely – thanks!
Cat Whitman
Sep 4th, 2008
Hoo boy, whatever next? Sensitivity Training on Orientation Island? Should every noob be issued with a supply of prozak or maybe a virtual diaper and pacifier?
Will we need, someday soon, to fax LL a psychiatrist’s assessment of our emotional competence and capacity to “engage responsibly” before we are permitted to enter SL?
Not everything is sickness, or addiction or needs to be medicalized. There is such a thing as self-indulgence and there is also poor time-management.
As we have seen in many, many wrangles, only *adults* are allowed in SL. So why do some of these adults apparently “need” to be policed and nurseyd and therapized by other adults who consider themselves to be extra wise, and who naturally only have our welfare and best interests at heart, and who care and worry oh-so-deeply about us all.
Those who feel they spend too much time on SL need to log off once in a while. And those uber-adult virtual carers who worry so, need to look up the term “projection”, get over themselves / get some therapy, and stop harrassing the other adults in SL
Weasel Blackadder
Sep 4th, 2008
In general, consumers are not warned about the dangers of psychological addiction because such addiction involves unimpaired consent by the individual, as opposed to physiological addictions where consent could be said to have been impaired. A warning would be ineffective and would only serve as a post-event self-justification for those who made decisions that they later decided were suboptimal.
Melissa Yeuxdoux
Sep 5th, 2008
Weasel Blackadder has a very good point. For all I know, just putting up such a warning might be used by J. Random AmbulanceChaser, Esq. as an indication that LL knew their product was addictive and should have done more to prevent the sad fate of his client. In a litigious society where slime seek out any excuse to claim damages from the nearest company with deep pockets, opening oneself up for litigation is a dangerous thing.
Cai Pirinha
Sep 5th, 2008
This is nonsense.
Just because a few bored housewifes playing Barbie doll can’t get the their dildo out again when playing with their Barbie Ken in SL doesn’t mean that we need to put a stupid label on SL.
Mona is probably one of those people that were sueing Coke and McDonalds because “their food made me fat”.
Mony Markova
Sep 5th, 2008
This might be scary, and I understand it, but beleive me this its a necessary step and will ultimately make our community stronger, not weaker. We can bury it, deny it or look the other way.
Still, I agree with you in many things, I think I need to make my self clearer, being this a complex thing as it is. This is only a message, nothing more, no nanny, no medicating no one, no messing with your online experience. This is a recommendation to add a warning note, so SL citizens enter the world better informed. Just a message that can be, placed on TOS, or CS. TOS has many similar messages already anyway.
In order to make my self clear I placed this EXAMPLE here ONLY with the intention to clarify the idea (we will leave wording and placement to LL as they better determine, if they decide its a positive thing).
***ILUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE*** (Remeber all this things are recommendations, whatever ppl does inside the community its their adult decision)
Important Warning About Using Internet
A small percentage of people may develop obsessive behavior towards internet games and communities. Even people with no history of addictive or compulsive patterns might have an undioagnosed condition that can cause these changes in behavior while participating on internet games or on-line communities.
These can range from from mild to grave, resulting in change of personality, abuse of time, neglecting chores and responsibilities, isolation, other physical sytoms can include, lightheadeness, blurred vision, change in dream patterns, head pain, neck pain.
Immediatly stop online connection and consult a doctor if you experience any of these syntoms. Since this is an adult game you should ask or share if you present any of thse syntoms with family members. The riks of developing this condition can be reduced by:
-Sit farther from the screen
-Connect in a well-lit room
-Do not play when drowsy or fatigued
-Establish a schedule to use the service
-Mantain a rich set of activities away from the computer
-Measure and balance your participation in on-line communities and internet
***THAT WAS AN ILUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE***
You know what just striked me? Many of you, even some dear friends to me, talk of ADULT beahvior, and no nannies, and even lettin people learn the hard way, etc. But I urge you to behave like an adult, and contemplate this topic, well like that an adult.
I promise to leave this matter in peace, if no one supports it. To the players that say NOOO! Com’on look at something ugly with no fear, like a spider inside a glass. It wont hurt hurt you, just look at it.
Again thanks.
[ Show » ] mony markova – 05/Sep/08 10:15 AM This might be scary, and I understand it, but beleive me this its a necessary step and will ultimately make our community stronger, not weaker. We can bury it, deny it or look the other way. Still, I agree with you in many things, I think I need to make my self clearer, being this a complex thing as it is. This is only a message, nothing more, no nanny, no medicating no one, no messing with your online experience. This is a recommendation to add a warning note, so SL citizens enter the world better informed. Just a message that can be, placed on TOS, or CS. TOS has many similar messages already anyway. In order to make my self clear I placed this EXAMPLE here ONLY with the intention to clarify the idea (we will leave wording and placement to LL as they better determine, if they decide its a positive thing). ***ILUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE*** (Remeber all this things are recommendations, whatever ppl does inside the community its their adult decision) Important Warning About Using Internet A small percentage of people may develop obsessive behavior towards internet games and communities. Even people with no history of addictive or compulsive patterns might have an undioagnosed condition that can cause these changes in behavior while participating on internet games or on-line communities. These can range from from mild to grave, resulting in change of personality, abuse of time, neglecting chores and responsibilities, isolation, other physical sytoms can include, lightheadeness, blurred vision, change in dream patterns, head pain, neck pain. Immediatly stop online connection and consult a doctor if you experience any of these syntoms. Since this is an adult game you should ask or share if you present any of thse syntoms with family members. The riks of developing this condition can be reduced by: -Sit farther from the screen -Connect in a well-lit room -Do not play when drowsy or fatigued -Establish a schedule to use the service -Mantain a rich set of activities away from the computer -Measure and balance your participation in on-line communities and internet ***THAT WAS AN ILUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE*** You know what just striked me? Many of you, even some dear friends to me, talk of ADULT beahvior, and no nannies, and even lettin people learn the hard way, etc. But I urge you to behave like an adult, and contemplate this topic, well like that an adult. I promise to leave this matter in peace, if no one supports it. To the players that say NOOO! Com’on look at something ugly with no fear, like a spider inside a glass. It wont hurt hurt you, just look at it. Again thanks.
IntLibber
Sep 5th, 2008
Mony, actually you tart, only cigarettes have warning labels on them. Last time I checked, there were no warning labels on beer or wine where I live. Maybe you live in a much more oppressive nanny state, which IS THE ENTIRE POINT. SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP.
The lesson about paradise being lost is whenever people find it, too many of them immediately set about “making it better” by demanding the imposition of rules and regs they are familliar with from whatever shithole they came from, they turn paradise into the same sort of shithole, and THEN they proceed to blame the damage on whatever preexisting things about paradise that made it great in the first place.
SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP. AND. GTFO. NAO. D-;
Brendon Paule
Sep 5th, 2008
Second Life is a virtual world with residents being 18 or older. Addictions can occur with anything, even playing chess on windows. That doesn’t mean there has to be a warning label on everything.
I bet Mony is the type of person that would sue Dunkin Donuts for spilling coffee on herself, because there was no warning label that said “Caution: Hot”.
We don’t need any more repressive bureaucratic labels on everything. You have a brain, please use it.
Arwyn Quandry
Sep 5th, 2008
Are we going to display a warning label for the sex and drugs too? Are we going to warn that they might be offended by something, that (God Forbid) someone might disagree with them? That they might be insulted?
One warning would spiral into ten and twenty more. Some people have addictive personalities that cause them to easily become addicted to anything, from sex to Second Life, from iPods to the Internet, from pot to potatoes. If we put a warning label on SL, they should have a warning label on everything else in the world that you might get addicted to it. And they would really have to have one on WoW, since it’s far more addicting than SL.
IntLibber
Sep 5th, 2008
Mony strikes me as the sort of recovering alcoholic who sees the world as full of drunks, or a born again who thinks everybody else needs saving.
Mind your own business, stick to your own 12 steps, and leave everybody else alone. The primary reason you are a drunk is because you can’t stand the idea that you cant control everyone and everything in your life. Step number one is accepting you cannot control anything, so shut the hell up and stop complaining about how you need to be protected from yourself. Stick to a program, and mind your own business and accept you arent capable or supposed to be busybodying everybody else.
Mony Markova
Sep 5th, 2008
Brendon, I know you dont understand this, but this is true, again after many months on working this issue several ways around I know that one of the few and responsible things to do its to inform people to make them aware.
You make a GREAT point in saying that this is nor LL created issue (its just out there), no one is blaming. But understand that they are the only ones with the means to let citizens know about it. I am willing to concede and modify the request in anyway to support this notion, but the key value of this is people being aware of this possibility.
You think, labels will come jumping against your screen, that is not the case, please dont overblow it. We are talking of a preventive, cautionary note, on TOS, relax, that is all, people that read the TOS will read it ONCE and that is it.
I know this topic is thorny and touches many sensible fibers, I know, and I tell you, if a silly small warning can help ease someone’s troubles, it is worth trying. Why do you think many items place warning like this? Its not for fun.
If you knew all I know about this, like people form large companies comming to SL by request of their bosses and then falling for addiction, and you would know how many sad, cases are out there. I am the last person to look for more control, I think less control is better, however this does not diminishes the value of information.
This measure, is preventive. And I am not trying to hurt yout experice or mine in SL, or take LL time from solving your bugs.
If you think you solved this issue. Please by all means publish the solution, not denial.
Thank you
just another self-enamoured SL "intellectual"
Sep 5th, 2008
“I suggest to you: GET INFORMED, or maybe I pointed out a hurtful reality for you? ”
I think you nailed it here.
Brautigan saw himself in this article, being fat-assed, middle-aged man-child he is, and it made him wince and then lash out, because we all know that people with obsessions and other addiction issues ALWAYS externalize first.
Brendon
Sep 6th, 2008
The solution is not labels, or putting those in any TOS. Anything can be addicting, and everyone is aware of the possibilities. Since it is not addictive by substance, it means you are the one controlling the addiction. Maybe I should stick a warning label on you.
srsly
Sep 7th, 2008
wow intlibber you are such a dumb rude fuck
Marc Woebegone
Sep 7th, 2008
Yep, that would be true and rare it is not.
http://secondlife.typepad.com/second_life_lawsuit_bragg/2007/11/me-addition-to-.html
The best way to break the addiction is stop logging in. Worked for me.
Marc Woebegone
zlul
Sep 7th, 2008
The way to break the Second Life addiction, as everyone knows, is to start pitching PN bombs around the grid in build enabled areas. That’s what’s known as the Cold Turkey method :p
Mony Markova
Sep 8th, 2008
This ideas is kind of difficult to clarify since it seems threatening to some people, I just want to update you that this initiative is becomeing more of, incluiding a SMALL, paragraph on TOS, about this phenomenon of Internet Addiction. This all this initiative is all about, No more!
I really hope you can support this since a single paragraph in TOS would be as far as we can go. We agree people is responsible for their own stuff, this only serves to well prevent the some of them, and this would be all.
Its certain that even if LL would import this issue into their workflow, this will be finished out by their lawyers and management so the final wording is good for them.
There are still many things to go trough I just wish the idea of a couple of paragraph in TOS, about this phenomenon is not threatening to anyone, quite the contrary.
http://jira.secondlife.com/browse/MISC-1515
Maybe it will help one person. I am very possitive it might.
Marly
Sep 9th, 2008
Here’s a video about SL addiction and an intervention to help some one get over it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN-0-kVJs78
Deimos
Sep 9th, 2008
That intervention was about Alcoholism..
Do you think a line in the TOS, which nobody reads is going to stop someone with an addictive personality? We don’t want this to become a trend.
Mony
Sep 10th, 2008
Yes I think it might help someone. But that is something you or me cannot prove or deny.
This is a paragraph or two on TOS, not a spamming trend.
Can I ask you why do you find this topic so threatening?
Stephie
Sep 10th, 2008
“Can I ask you why do you find this topic so threatening?”
Threatening? No. Hilariously retarded? Yes.
Mony
Sep 12th, 2008
“Hilariously retarded?” I would ask you to explain why if you could, but I better tell you.
Get informed – maybe this challenges you just a tad too much.
Stephie
Sep 12th, 2008
Challenges? rofl
I can understand people getting addicted to drugs. They fuck with your head and your body, they make you want more. But a little internet game? No, that’s just stupidity. Do something else, turn off your computer, GET A LIFE. Just because there are a few pussies out there too scared to flip the off switch doesn’t mean there needs to be an entire warning written just for them to read and then CONTINUE PLAYING.
Really, how much is a warning going to do? If you really DO get addicted to a little game, you need to kill yourself. It would certainly help natural selection.
Mony Markova
Sep 17th, 2008
As you said, you dot get it. Now, such a lovely mouth you have.
Did you get informed or just wrote back mad?
Mony Markova
Sep 26th, 2008
In respect to this public space and not abusing it, I have created a blog to display information for those who are interested. Your liberty to read or leave its not denied there.
I believe an extraordinary pull into virtual communities such as Second Life (TM) its a reality and a phenomenon that can result in drastic damage to people who develop an addictive attachment to them. I believe virtual communities have enormous potential and will be part of many people’s life’s and work. So we need to take a thoughtful approach towards this.
1. People joins in with no knowledge of this phenomenon
2. Awareness of a danger helps reduce its potential harm
3. Any tool to display this reality, might help those who read it
This is in a nutshell all I strive for.
The blog is located at:
http://monymarkovaaddiction.blogspot.com/