Librarians Going Global in Second Life

The Ethical, Moral and Legal Issues for Working in SL

Dave Harmeyer, MLS, EdD

Ted Taylor, MLS

CARL’s 12th Biennial Conference

Irvine, California

April 5, 2008

Going Global in SL

• Internet-based multi-user online virtual world • 2003• Linden Research , Inc. = Linden Lab• 13 million accounts, 60,000 daily more realistic • Second Life Viewer (download)• Avatar, walk, fly, chat, voice• Currency Linden Dollar (L$) exchangeable for real $• Teen grid• Sleaze (nude beaches, “free sex-orgy room”) • Late 2006 early 2007 educators/librarians• Apply this social experiment to education • 150 colleges from US and abroad

Going Global in SL

Ohio University Campus in SL San Jose State University’s School of Library & Information Science

Things Ethical

• Griefing = avatar harassment and/or assault• Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara

University• Utilitarian approach• Common good approach• Virtue approach• SLED, listserv, Second Life Educators

– Clothes changing– Copying chat records– Avatar bot invading private space

Things Moral

• Linden Lab, Terms of Service Agreement 1.2 “. . .limited control, . . . morality, legality. . .”

• Moral rights approach

• Human dignity, treated as ends not means to ends

• Non-human, avatars?

• “Virtual assault cannot cause physical harm”

Things Moral

• Moral obligation to report?

• Bugeja SL “bestows anonymity and disavows liability”

• Linden Lab “Big Six” behaviors: intolerance, harassment, assault, disclosure, indecency and disturbing the peace.

Things Legal

• Whistle blower• Chronicle of Higher Ed 9/14/07• Accountable for students with harassers?

– Virginia Tech griefer– Female avatars raped– Two most common violations: assault & harassment– Blevins, case can be brought if required or recommended

and harassing occurs– What if: student witnesses an unwanted virtual act?

Things Legal

Linden Lab’s Terms of Service Agreement

–Section 1.2 service provider . . .–Section 4.1 Community Standards

Solutions

• Harassment forbidden• Most abide• Private islands 50%

discount• Abuse-reporting tool

• SLED, SL Education• IDV, Identity

Verification • Retain chat logs• Set up own avatars

Going Global in SL

Questions

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Answers