Congress Awaits FTC Report on Explicit Content in Virtual Worlds

May 11, 2009

At the behest of Congress, the Federal Trade Commission is looking into children's access to explicit content in virtual worlds.

That word comes by way of Virtual Worlds News which spoke to a pair of FTC attorneys last week. The regulatory agency's report on its findings is scheduled to be presented to Congress in December.

GamePolitics readers may recall that in 2008 Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) called on  the FTC to issue a parental alert about the virtual sex occurring in Second Life:

Sites like Second Life offer no protections to keep kids from virtual "rape rooms," brothels, and drug stores. If sites like Second Life won't protect kids from obviously inappropriate content, the Congress will.

VWN notes that Second Life publisher Linden Lab recently announced a plan to restrict underage SL users from accessing mature content.

Via: Massively


Comments

Re: Congress Awaits FTC Report on Explicit Content in ...

 I think this is hilarious.

Aren't children meant to be:
1. playing sports?
2. studying?
3. Hanging out with their real life friends?
4. Experimenting with drugs?
5. Breaking their parents' balls?

What are the little monsters doing in here anyway?
Why are parents so irresponsible?

I thought kid proofing was about:
1. Wearing condoms.
2. Covering electric sockets
3. Locking doors when you're at it like Godzilla on coke!

I don't want my content sugar-coated. Linden Labs...your only ethical/moral responsibility is to ensure content creators and their Intellectual Property is protected. Not being net nannies for parents who are too busy getting flogged in Gor to notice that their kid is actually their Master!

ROFLMAO

Re: Congress Awaits FTC Report on Explicit Content in ...

Hmm rape roleplay is not allowed in second life.  See Linden labs did'nt enforce the TOS and it bit them in the  butt. allowing these virtual sex offenders who are more than likely one step from wanting to do it in RL to have this filth on the grid only causes  problems for the rest of us. Lock the crap down people who are verified now if they get caught will hopefully have all their accounts deleted. And should they have children in RL then maybe the gov should step in and give these so called parents the help that they need. geez someone who thinks rape is cool should never be around children. Put them all in some data base and if their rape RP is close to a RL rape that happened then they know who to go question.

kENDRACROAKES

Re: Congress Awaits FTC Report on Explicit Content in ...

I don't see anything in the Terms of Service that indicates that Rape Roleplay is not allowed among consenting adults. There is a vast difference between roleplaying a rape fantasy and actually raping someone. Please site a reference for this claim that "rape roleplay is not allowed in secondlife".

Your preference to avoid it is your business; i recommend that you heed the well posted warnings before entering the play area of our sim. Meanwhile do not assume that just because you don't like certain activities means that others should not be allowed to act them out.

I and the rest of the management of our sim are eager for LindenLabs to give us effective tools to keep out minors. The last thing we want is children in our sim. We also believe that the government as well as linden labs should stay out of the bedroom and  not attempt to regulate consensual acts between consenting adults.

Re: Congress Awaits FTC Report on Explicit Content in ...

A quick Summary:

   I am a mother of two whom has grown up with technology such as Atari all the way through the internet. I was also a teen mother. I also engage in many sexual acts and  design clothing for fetish and kink many would disagree with in Second Life.

The problem from someone who knows first hand:

    Those of us who engage in sexual consenting adult acts in SL are not only annoyed, but strictly enforce those under 18 to be on a mature sim of any kind. Forget for a second that you are legally supposed to be 18 to play SL and forget all moral issues. I am not a babysitter whom should be worried about my own legal safety because a child wanders into a place they shouldn't be. If you play these games you know first hand that most parents are absolutely out of their mind to let ANY minor sit on ANY computer and not watch every move their child makes! ( Has anyone seen the things kids say on sites like myspace and facebook? How about the racey pictures of girls as young as 12?) I'm personally offended that these parents lack so much responsibility that I can't engage in what should be my legal right to socialize with other adults in an adult manner in an adult only setting. Parents blindly think their children are safe at home and the truth is that they are as clueless as when their child walks out that front door.

    For me it's not about being a sexual pervert, but a tired mother whom enjoys an outlet that doesn't require real makeup and stilettos!! Why should I have to be worried about running into children that others aren't responsible for? I don't let my own 15 yr old son on the net without someone in view of the screen to see exactly every move he makes. I am very open about this to everyone I come in contact with and you would be amazed at how many people think I am the one being paranoid.

    So, forget about arguing over our government needing to protect our children by way of a third party company needing to make changes. The government should be protecting the children by reprimanding the parents whom do not take their responsibility to their children seriously! We gamers have complained for a very long time, through many beta tests begging the game companies to ban children from having access to these games where adults mingle. I, personally, can't even stand trying to play some WOW and listening to some spoiled kid's banter about Chuck Norris. But, this will never change for two important reasons: The government and society don't make parents accountable for their poor choices as parents and two because those same parents let their children spend money on anything they want. Ask P.Diddy the ratio of of teen sales vs adult record sales he has. He will tell you, too: Young people are where the sales are. Hmm... doesn't that mean it goes right back into taxes and into the politicians pockets?

    I support the SL changes in adult content, but disagree with the true pressure congress' motive comes from: Votes of those clueless people whom have never mingled in an online society. Also,the more money it takes to change a situation, the more money goes right back into the politician's pockets. When will we wise up at the voting polls people? And when will we view parenting as our own responsibility and not others?

P.S. When I was a teenager and became pregnant, it wasn't the first scare I had. My mother, a teacher and government employee was so involved in her daily schedule that she had no clue whom I was hanging out with or where we were going. She really did try her hardest and didn't neglect me. The problem is that all parents think they only have so much control or don't want to be the uncool parent. There is no difference between my mother letting me walk out the door with that older boy whom convinced me to have unprotected sex and these parents who look the other way when their child logs on the net.

 

Thanks for the venting session!

Saucey Sinister of Second Life,

Responsible parent and Consenting adult pervert

 

 

*~*If you're going to take my freedom of speech away, at least replace it with a ball gag please*~*

Re: Congress Awaits FTC Report on Explicit Content in ...

I guess the time has truely come where parents arn't truely responsible for what thier childern do.

I remember coming home with a toy my friend gave me and the first question I was asked was were did I get it. I told them and they called my friend and asked my friend if that was true.

Was it because my parents didn't trust me, no it was because that's what a parent does takes intrest in thier son or daughters involvements.

I guess it too much to ask for parents to be responsible and monitor their children. So we leave it to liars and cheats to monitor them. We leave it to politicians who lie for a living.

So I may be preaching to the choir here, but I think maybe what we should do is watch the politicians lives and make sure they're the type of people we want looking after our childern do back ground checks on them make sure they are truely holier then thou and if not actually remember that and vote based on their ability to parent.

Re: Congress Awaits FTC Report on Explicit Content in ...

Eh, I don't know.  While it is popular, I have never felt comfortable given private companies the responibility of enforcing parent's rules.

 
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