Linden Lab’s CEO to testify before Congress
March 31, 2008
At 9.30am on the 1st April US Eastern Time, Linden Lab CEO Philip Rosedale will testify before the US Congress. I don’t have any further details at this stage aside from determining that it’s the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. More specifically it’s the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet Hearing. The topic of the hearing is ‘Online Virtual Worlds: Applications and Avatars in a User-Generated Medium’
If you’re super keen you can view the live webcast. It’s likely to be a fairly mundane event although with any political process there’s the potential for fireworks. Ageplay, gambling and financial services are obvious areas but we’ll have to wait and see how wide the focus becomes.
Update: a text summary of the hearing can be found here on Virtually Blind.
Popularity: 5% [?]
The Mike Huckabee Center for the Liberation and Housing of Spermatazoan-Americans
January 24, 2008
We reported recently on some excellent political satire occurring in Second Life focused on Hilary Clinton. Republican Mike Huckabee gets his turn with the opening of the “The Mike Huckabee Center for the Liberation and Housing of Spermatazoan-Americans”.
I was a bit slow in realising what the Huckabee Center was about - it was only when I saw this area that I realised:
Built by “Gen.JC Christian”, his blog gives a pictorial tour and an explanation of the build.
The growing attention on the US Presidential Election is only going to ensure that virtual world satire goes from strength to strength. Once each party has their candidate I’m expecting some even more cutting 3D commentary.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Does Second Life need a Republic?
January 19, 2008
The Metaverse Republic is a new site that states its purpose clearly:
“The Metaverse Republic, currently work in progress, will be a legal system for Second Life, with real powers of enforcement originating in user-created tools, and a democratic parliament.
There are many disputes and potential disputes in Second Life that could benefit from formal resolution: disputes about broken agreements, land use, alleged griefing, extortion, etc. The Metaverse Republic aims to provide an effective and fair system for resolving such disputes.”
That’s one hell of a brief and it’s not an initiative likely to receive widespread support for two reason. First, there’ll be automatic scepticism toward one model of goverment put forward by one group. Secondly, apathy rules - a resounding majority of people in the real world find politics a boring, meaningless pastime with no direct relevance to their daily lives. This is unlikely to be any different in the virtual world context - our own reader survey conducted last year showed just that, a real lack of interest in the politics stories we run.
That said, such an experiment doesn’t deserve outright condemnation - at the very least it should be considered a useful experiment.
The Virtually Blind blog has an interesting discussion underway on the whole concept. What do you think - does Second Life need a government?
Popularity: 4% [?]
Political satire at a whole new level
January 9, 2008
With ten months still to go until the US Presidential election, Second Life is definitely hotting up as a platform for campaigning. As you’d expect, where there’s political activity there are satirists waiting in the wings to lighten the load for those of use bombarded by the whole election process. Christophe Hugo is one such person.
When I arrived at his faux WhiteHouse he was sitting there in his Hilary Clinton avatar. I approached Christophe and he immediately enveloped me in a cage, demanding I wouldn’t be let go until I voted for Hilary. Here’s the same fate befalling another visitor:
He was too busy for an extensive interview but I did manage to ask whether Christophe’s efforts were coming from a particular political ideology. His response: “I am a French Marxist (of the Groucho Marx movement)”.
That sums it up really -if you enjoy political humour with a dash of slapstick then this is an area you may want to visit. There’s even a Barack Obama / Hilary Clinton boxing ring where it’s obvious who lost out:
And finally, there’s the Whitehouse itself - it’s not the best replica I’ve seen but it fits the overall presence well:
Thanks to New World Notes for the heads-up.
Popularity: 4% [?]
US Presidential politics comes to World of Warcraft
January 4, 2008
Gamepolitics.com has covered a march undertaken by 200 or so avatars in World of Warcraft to support US Presidential election candidate Ron Paul, who’s on the Republican side of the fence.
Second Life is a regular venue for political discourse but it’s fair to say World of Warcraft isn’t a natural fit as there’s no ability to create individual content to augment political activism. That hasn’t stopped people from making their views clear via this march and it’ll be fascinating to see if there’s growth of such events in WoW in the lead up to November’s elections. What’s stopping some PvP events occurring along political lines? Election campaigns can be brutal on both the combatants and the electorate so this would be an obvious next step.
Popularity: 4% [?]
A new government’s genesis viewed from Second Life
November 24, 2007
ABC Island played host to an election night party, with lots of chat about unfolding events in the real world. The ‘Australians’ group in SL was also buzzing with a running commentary.
It’d be an understatement to say those gathered on ABC island and the group chat were pro-Kevin Rudd:
Numerous comments were expressed in regard to the ALP’s broadband policy and its impacts on the SL experience. There was plain old partying.
As one party-goer said, “I just wanted to be with some Aussies at this historical moment”. There’s been no involvement by Australian political parties in Second Life to date - my prediction is that by next election there’ll be a marked presence by at least one party in the virtual world sphere.
Popularity: 6% [?]
F.I.R.E. - Second Life’s first native political party?
November 4, 2007
Last week I noticed a press release from Second Life political party, F.I.R.E. (it stands for Freedom, Improvement, Respect and Enjoyment). They’ve surveyed SL residents on their perceptions and clim to have a future agenda on a number of issues (see full press release below).
There’s understandably some scepticism and confusion around F.I.R.E.’s aims, particularly in an environment with no governmental structures, but at the very least it will provide an alternative to the RL politicians setting up presences without significant engagement with the SL community.
As far as F.I.R.E. being the first political party, I’m aware there have been many lobby groups and even some sim-based ‘governments’, but I’d still argue this is the first SL-wide formal party. It may be perceived by some as a loopy party for its insistence on not adopting a set ideology, but a party it still is. What are your thoughts - can you see a grass-roots political party with a very broad ideology working in SL?
The full press release:
“October 31, 2007. SL POLITICS ON F.I.R.E. Recent studies conducted by Second Life’s first political party - F.I.R.E. - reveal that SL is lacking in the areas of freedom and respect. On the plus side, research also indicates that SL is improving fast enough and that there is a sufficient amount of ‘fun’ here in the virtual world.
SL POLITICS ON F.I.R.E.
Recent studies conducted by Second Life’s first political party - F.I.R.E. - reveal that SL is lacking in the areas of freedom and respect. On the plus side, research also indicates that SL is improving fast enough and that there is a sufficient amount of ‘fun’ here in the virtual world.
F.I.R.E. believes that sacraficing “freedom & respect” in favor of “improvement & enjoyment” will not benefit SL and needs to be halted immediately. F.I.R.E. represents virtual interests. F.I.R.E. is an independent SL-based political party for the promotion and protection of Freedom, Improvement, Respect & Enjoyment. Since early May 2007 F.I.R.E. has been getting organized. We are currently developing the party platform. On the agenda for the coming months are issues such as “cyberwar draft”, “powershifts”, “100 dollar laptops” and “squatting rights in SL”.
More on the research F.I.R.E. conducted.
The Board asked the members of F.I.R.E. about their thoughts pertaining to the four basic areas of Freedom, Improvement, Respect and Enjoyment in SL. Here are the results:
49% of the members of FIRE say that there is enough Freedom in SL.*
67% of the members of FIRE say that there is enough Improvement in SL.**
41% of the members of FIRE say that there is enough Respect in SL.***
84% of the members of FIRE say that there is enough Enjoyment in SL.****
* Note on Freedom: High costs of SLiving and the prohibition of gambling are seen as the main problems with freedom.
** Note on Improvement: Most people named themselves and others as the main providers of improvement. Linden Lab came in at second.
*** Note on Respect: Almost everyone named ‘griefing’ as the sign of disrespect. ‘Rascism/fascism’ was the second most mentioned. Some stated that “There is as much respect in SL as in RL.”
**** Note on Enjoyment: To reiterate; most people named themselves and those around them as the main providers. Cost were mentioned as a problem: “How could I ever afford to play on a descent 18-holes golf course?.”
This survey will be repeated in 2008.
Past statements of F.I.R.E.
* GAMBLING:
Gambling should not have been banned. If things were really getting out of hand, then gambling should have been brought under control and not simply banned. Banning is a sign of weakness and benefits nobody. Under certain improved conditions gambling should once again be enjoyed legally.
* VAT:
The communication concerning the VAT for EU citizens has been handled poorly to say the least. The information provided is lacking in both quality and quantity. The tone in which this message is delivered is horrible. The short notice before the implementation of this measure is ridiculous. Most importantly, it is unjust to spring this VAT measure on EU citizens and it will simply amount to a substantial increase in SL prices. LL knew or should have known VAT was and is to be paid. EU citizens have rightfully trusted LL to take care of their legal obligations surrounding VAT from the start and they should pay this tax out of money that they have already acquired.”
Update: SLNN have an interview with Datus Clary.
Popularity: 10% [?]
