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I have blogged before on how disappointing I find it that so many people are flouting the rules when it comes to traffic gaming and that they are facing no consequences. Frankly, it just makes the rules pointless and a waste of the time it took to clarify and implement them.

And unfortunately, it seems to be a similar story for the adult content regulations.

“Promoted sexual content,” according to the Linden Lab guidelines, should be held on adult regions, that is to say the regions that can only be accessed by those who have taken steps to verify that they are over the age of 18.

There are certain words that cannot be searched without having adult search enabled. But a number of related searches (even down to ‘skins’) will bring back locations that absolutely cannot possibily be called anything other than “orgy venues.” Photorealistic nudity, escorts, sexual activity right there in the location…. this is not adult content? Yet around the grid erotic exhibitions etc are relocating to adult locations to avoid the wrath of the Lindens?

Some consistency please?

‘Sex Island’ for example is a full sim with a mature rating. Escorts, large pictures of genitals and so on operate openly. Sexylife Island is much the same and this is just two of several I came across in a ten minute search.

Why even bother with these rules if they are not going to be enforced? I personally think that the whole idea of a separate adult content is stupid anyway. If the registration process was more efficient, there would be no need for an “optional” age verification setup on top of it. But after all the chaos about the adult move, after the removal of various art exhibits and enforced migration to the adult continent for businesses who relied on being accessible to everyone… why should a select few get away with flouting the rules?

Take this, for example… a fine example of something not classified as adult content.

If this is NOT adult content, then I apparently lack any concept of what defines adult.

Ok, granted, the Lindens probably do not have the resources to be monitoring every sim every day for adult content. But an entire sim called “Sex Island?” Well, if that doesn’t make one single Linden think, “Maybe I should just go check that out,” nothing will.

Ok so the adult content change is looming and, as is typical, the general population of Second Life™ is running around declaring that the end is nigh, that Linden Lab are going to ruin us all and that innocent babies will die.

Ok, ok, so it’s a pain in the arse, and another terribly badly thought out decision in my opinion. And all this about it not being in preparation for the teen and adult grid merge is absolute bullshit, if you ask me. I posted not long back on Phil Linden’s interview in which he said he wanted the grids merged! However, there are enough rants on blogs as it is without me adding to it. Suffice to say that I think it’s stupid.

What I am interested in, however, is the simple fact that people seem so utterly reluctant to age verify. I’ve heard all sorts of reasons for this, including ‘I don’t trust them with my personal data’ and a simple, ‘Well why should I prove it?’

I DID age verify a long time before all this furore began. It was a simple process. I went to the age verification page on the Second Life website and entered my passport number. It took two minutes! Iread the privacy policy carefully and, as I understand it, once your passport number (or other means of proving your age) has been entered and it has been confirmed that you are over 18, Linden Lab retain ONLY a verification code that states you are of age. They do NOT keep any passport number on file at all. For the US residents among you, I believe you can do it simply by entering the last 4 digits of your social security number and some address information. There’s lots of ways to do it, with ID cards of many nations also being accepted.

My point is that it really is not a difficult process and one has to wonder why there is such a massive reluctance for people to prove their age? Obviously I can understand the under 18s who shouldn’t be playing being reluctant! But there are people who I know are definitely above 18 and who still refuse to do it. ‘Why should I?’ fails to cut it at some point. Many people have, I am sure, been asked to prove their age to buy cigarettes or alcohol. Why did you have to prove it? Because the law dictates it. Ok, so Linden Lab is NOT a government. But they DO provide a service and a set of terms to which users of that service must agree. One of those terms is that you are over 18. If a Linden said ‘Prove that you are not allowing gambling in your club?’ you’d show them your club, right? If you were asked to prove you were harrassed by someong by IM, you would point them to the log to prove it! So why is it such a big issue to prove that you are ToS compliant in terms of your age?

There is a MASSIVE problem with kids playing Second Life on the adult grid (probably largely to do with the fact that, by all accounts, the teen grid is poorly maintained with a lack of things to do). And ok, so any under 18 could register an account in their parent’s name and use their details to verify their age. But the point is that is much less simple than just registering and making up a date of birth. Surely we should be trying to discourage the under 18s and make it as difficult for them as possible? A wider acceptance of the age verification procedure would go some way to doing that.

And as for those who say they do not trust Linden Lab with their personal information…well when you sign up you have to provide your RL name, address etc etc. So they already have it. If you really don’t want Linden Lab having any information about you, why did you sign up? I find this a particularly poor excuse coming from people who have used payment info with Linden Lab. “I don’t want them having the last 4 digits of my social security number or even risking them keeping that info.” Ok… but it’s fine for them to have your credit card number right? And your real name? And address?

Anyway, my point…. what’s the big deal? Two minute process. Simple. Efficient. And if compulsory age verification in Second Life stops just a handful of under 18s getting onto an adult grid and potentially becoming prey to less savoury characters in game, then surely it’s worth it! (Before you all hit panic stations, Second Life age verification is NOT yet compulsory, nor is there any information to suggest it will be that I amaware of)!