Ethical Issues in Second Life by Hope R

here are many unethical and il- Second Life (SL) was started by Educators (SLED), Real Life Educa- legal behaviors that take place Philip Rosedale and incorporated as tion in Second Life, Educators Work- T in Second Life. This article of- Linden Labs in 2003. Its currency is ing with Teens Mailing List, and Sec- fers several scenarios which repre- the Linden Dollar with an exchange ond Life Researchers, and research is sent some of these behaviors, including rate that fluctuates between $263- being conducted on SL in education copyright infringement. It is hoped that $270 Linden Dollars to each U.S. (Annetta, et al, 2008; Fetscherin & the reader will understand how copy- dollar. Second Life is a 3-D virtual Lattemann, 2007). right infringement fits in with other world entirely created by residents, unethical behaviors in Second Life. with an average of 60,000 + users per Ethical Issues in day. Meetings, conferences, research, Second Life A Brief Introduction to projects, career exploration, practica, and projects are conducted. A sizable There are many ethical issues in SL. Generation “V” MUVEs number of users are outside the Unit- More than one author has noted that these issues, or user-initiated actions, and Second Life (SL) ed States (Steel, 2006). Many educational groups partici- seem to be detached from the fear Generation “V” (Generation Vir- pate in the Second Life Grid, includ- of consequences in the “real world,” tual) has grown up on filesharing, ing Global Kids, Hub2, The Explor- such as illegal file-sharing (copyright multi-user virtual environments atorium, The New Media Consortium, infringement),, spamming, multiple (MUVEs), such as Dungeons and Eduserv, and the Ohio Learning Net- identities, identity deception, and il- Dragons, and considers multitasking work as well as special interest user licit materials (Kerbs, 2005). Other in a networked world as a norm in groups in educational associations, ethical issues range from breach in daily life. “Age, gender, class, and in- such as the Association for Education- privacy, monitoring and eavesdrop- come of individuals are less important al Communications and Technology, ping, exploitation, professional ethics, and less rewarded than competence, the International Society for Tech- confidentiality and proprietary infor- motivation and effort” (Lee, 2007). nology in Education, NOAA, NASA, mation, to crimes, such as harrass- They see voice over internet proto- and state and local educator groups ment, vandalism and unauthorized col (VOIP) as convenient (Romme, (Wong, 2006). SL also maintains a use of computer information, such as 2003). It should come as no surprise, wiki (a page or collection of web pag- passwords, and intellectual property then, that this is the group that has es designed to enable anyone who ac- and trademark infringements (Schro- vaulted Linden Labs’ Second Life (SL) cesses it to contribute or modify con- eder, 2007; Shutkin, 2004). MUVE as the preeminent “in-world” tent) for nonprofit resources—the SL environment with transaction val- and Nonprofits listserv, and SimTeach Scenarios for Thought, ues averaging $1.5 million every 24 (Information and Community for Ed- hours. These values rival the incomes Reflection, and Prevention ucators using MUVEs). of small countries (businesses), such Various research and ethics groups To address some of the ethical is- as Nike, Gucci, and others, quickly and listservs have been created around sues encountered in SL, the scenarios finding ways to market their brands Second Life, such as Second Life Grad presented below are based on real-life (Media Age, 2007). Student Colony, Social Second Life experiences in SL. Avatar (digital rep-

TechTrends • January/February 2009 Volume 53, Number 1 Volume 53, Number 1 TechTrends • January/February 2009 resentations or images of real people Scenario Two: Ethics, Values and Mr. Avatar who simply asked her to in a virtual space) names will not be Practices in Virtual Social Groups dance. They hit it off really well and used to protect the innocent. Early in Miss Avatars’ friendship went dancing, exploring and laugh- ing together—every day for days on Scenario One: Exploitation with the snake-like creature, she thought it would be fun to change her end. After awhile they began talking Miss Avatar initially came into SL avatar shape from a human female on Skype (a free Internet telephone for a professional conference. Miss to a furry. A furry in SL is a creature service), but one day the relation- Avatar had never heard of Second that has fur (yes, it’s really that sim- ship of these two new friends became Life or virtual environments, but be- ple). So, Miss Avatar and the crea- strained. After one exceptionally dif- ing curious and adventurous, she ture went shopping for a new avatar ficult conversation, Mr. Avatar said virtually flew in (avatars possess the furry skin. Miss Avatar settled on a he was leaving and simply logged off. ability to fly in SL). She dutifully at- beautiful leopard skin…’er…fur, and Miss Avatar was mortified. What did tended the conference, but then went Miss Avatar and the creature set off she do to make Mr. Avatar angry? She about exploring this wonderous and in search of new adventures. It only was about to find out. When Miss Av- exciting virtual space, meeting inter- took a short time for Miss Avatar to atar was finally able to get Mr. Avatar esting people along the way. One day, realize that transforming into a furry to talk, he said she didn’t do anything while visiting a perfectly innocent was not a good idea. Furries are very to make him angry; the issue was that virtual educational space, she met an different than human forms in Second he knew he finally had to reveal his interesting creature. Without going Life; they are very frisky and tricky true identity to her and he was certain into great description of this avatar creatures and attempt to engage other he would lose Miss Avatar as a friend so that her identity is protected, she is furries in “fun” activities alluded to in if he did. Mr. Avatar told Miss Avatar decribed as part human and part rep- the first scenario. Since Miss Avatar’s he was hiding a real-life identity issue tile. This most creative creature - en beauty as a clearly female leopard at- and that he used SL to escape the dif- gaged Miss Avatar in conversaton and tracted many male furries, she con- ficulties of that life. Would Miss Ava- relayed that she often came to educa- stantly had to fend off their unwanted tar gotten involved with Mr. Avatar if tion islands to invite educators out to advances. Had she only known about she had known his true identity? (FYI, see the “fun” side of Second Life. Had the furry’s ethics, values and practices they are still friends today.) Miss Avatar been more worldly and within their social group, she would Research on identity issues in vir- experienced, she would never have not have chosen the avatar of a leop- tual environments was conducted by accepted the creature’s invitation, but ard. Miss Avatar quickly set out to Dr. Alex Gordon who discovered that she didn’t want to be impolite. So, change her avatar back to a female hu- 80% of female avatars are actually Miss Avatar was teleported to lands man form. men and 75% of male avatars are ac- unknown to witness things that can- Research on the ethics, values and tually women. If this is true, he says, not be said within these pages. Suffice practices in virtual social groups led to then many people are in virtual en- it to say, the objects and acts shown to The GoodPlay Project. GoodPlay is an vironments (such as SL) are there to Miss Avatar by the creature were not extensive research project led by Car- experiement with their identity. He very nice. She was given an education rie James, Howard Gardner and oth- also said that 43% of the sample group on the “seedy” side of Second Life. ers from the Harvard Graduate School stated they were in virtual worlds to Was this a clear case of exploitation of Education. In-depth interviews help learn more about their true self of Miss Avatar? were conducted with 15-25 year olds (Urpeth, 2008). Little research can be found on ex- in order to better understand the ethi- ploitation of individuals in SL, and Scenario Four: Vandalism and cal implications of online activities as what does exist discusses how cyber- Harrassment they relate to a community. Good play terrorists exploited Linden dollars Mr. and Miss Avatar continued their is defined as online conduct that is from a target’s avatar, and also hacked friendship in SL and one day other both meaningful and engaging to the his/her PC. Researchers Charlie Mill- avatars visited the land where Mr. and participant and responsible to others er of Independent Security Evalu- Miss Avatar played. They were wel- in the community or society in which ators, and Dino Dai Zovi, turned comed to the land, but the welcome it is carried out (James & Gardner, their attention to Second Life during quickly turned to hostility when the et. al., 2008). The study outlined the a Saturday morning presentation at visitors became confrontational. Mr. promises and perils of virtual identity ShmooCon, an East Coast computer Avatar confonted the pair, as Miss Ava- play that factors in a players real-life hacking conference. The researchers tar came down from a mountain to see experiences with ethical behaviors didn’t exploit a flaw within Linden who was visiting. As Miss Avatar ap- and beliefs (James et al., 2008). Labs’ Second Life, but within Quick- proached the visitors, she saw a flash Time. They showed how an attacker and presto! Miss Avatars’ knees were on Scenario Three: Identity Issues could make money stealing from in- top of her waist, her feet were on top of As Miss Avatar put the life of a fur- nocent Second Life victims. her knees, her shoes on top of her feet, ry behind her, she was befriended by and her head on top of her shoes! In

10 TechTrends • January/February 2009 Volume 53, Number 1 other words, a script had been thrown “Woman kills husband’s video game Introductory SL Presentations at Miss Avatar to distort her avatar. A avatar in virtual murderous rage” 3D virtual worlds in education script is an internal, event-driven, C/ (Siemaszko, 2008). The virtual mur- http://www.slideshare.net/iconolith/second- Java-style language which allows you to der of a digital persona in a computer life-for-education control object and avatar behavior, up game (Maple Story) landed a Japanese to and including mini-games and other woman in a very real jail. The 43-year- Teaching and Learning in Virtual Worlds: NSCC and Second Life 2008 http://www. complex programs. Thus Miss Avatar old piano teacher told cops she was so slideshare.net/lmockford/nscc-and-second- learned the lesson of “griefers”—those infuriated when her online “husband” life-2008-presentation who vandalize and harrass in SL. (For suddenly dumped her—she hacked those concerned about the welfare of into his site and killed his avatar…. An Introduction to Virtual Worlds: Second Miss Avatar, she merely had to log off “I was suddenly divorced, without Life and Beyond. http://www.slideshare.net/ and log on again to restore her avatar.) a word of warning,” she told investi- ialja/virtual-worlds-introduction-second- Ethical issues regarding vandalism gators…. “That made me so angry.” life-and-beyond and harrassment in SL generally re- Luckily for the victim, who lived 620 volve around “griefers”—persons who miles away from the alleged “killer,” Second Life 2008 derive enjoyment from being obstruc- the woman had not plotted any re- http://www.youtube.com/ tive, diminishing the enjoyment of venge in the real world, the official watch?v=R8L9QCFyID4 others, preventing the enjoyment of said (Siemaszko, 2008, p. 1) Second Life Educational Groups others, and wasting a person’s time. It transpired that the “husband” had http://www.techlearning.com/secondlife/ Depending on the environment, given the woman his password to his groups.php there may be a wide variety of specific MapleStory account and she went in grieving behaviors (killing, stealing, and killed off his character. (MapleSto- Newsletters/Special Interest Groups blocking, distorting, and/or virual ry is a free-of-charge, 2D, side-scroll- AECT in Second Life spamming, throwing down a multi- ing massively multiplayer online role- www.aect.org/SecondLife tude of objects that may cause servers playing game developed by the South Virtual Worlds Connect to crash). Griefers don’t enjoy SL the Korean company Wizet.) “Now, the http://www.virtualworldsconnect.com/ way most participants do. They enjoy piano teacher has to face the music. This newsletter has forums on statistics, it when they make someone else sad, She faces a max of five years in prison social networks for teachers and kids, SLM unhappy, or frustrated—especially and a $5,000 fine if she is convicted of and web services in vQorlds, and Badumna when it shows. To them, it’s easier to commiting an electronic execution” network suite. It also has Second Life and destroy than to create—and it requires (Siemaszko, 2008). The official crime, Education in Virtual Worlds groups. comparatively little effort or talent if charged, is reported to be “illegally Virtual Worlds in the Classroom (Nino, 2006). accessing a computer and manipulat- http://www.virtualworldsconnect.com/ ing electronic data.” group/kids/forum/topics/1131819:Top- Scenario Five: Crime Other recent crimes related to Sec- ic:50087 After some time, Miss Avatar decid- ond Life have been reported. In Au- Kids Virtual Worlds ed to set up shop in Second Life pro- gust 2008, a woman was charged in viding digital products that she cre- http://www.virtualworldsconnect.com/group/ Delaware with plotting the real-life kids ated. Other avatars paid Linden Dol- abduction of a boyfriend she met lars for her virtual goods (clothing, through Second Life (Associated Education in Virtual Worlds textures, trinkets, etc.). One day she http://www.virtualworldsconnect.com/ Press, 2008). In Toyko, police arrested group/educationinvirtuatlworlds noticed that avatars were in posses- a 16-year-old boy on charges of swin- sion of her goods yet she had received dling virtual currency worth $360,000 Facebook: Second Life for Educators no compensation for them. Someone in an interactive role-playing game by http://www.facebook.com/group. had used a Copybot to steal her digi- maniupulating another player’s port- php?gid=2370947641 tal coded goods (not to mention her folio using a stolen ID and password trademarked logos and name brands) (Associated Press, 2008). Conferences and was peddling them elsewhere It is hoped that the scenarios above Second Life Community Convention http://www.slconvention.org (Reuters, 2007; Granick, 2006). Miss and the resources below will guide the Avatar promptly filed a notification reader into making ethical decisions of possible copyright infringement Virtual Worlds: Libraries, Education and about the use of SL for educational Museums Conference according to the Digital Millennium and other uses. Copyright Act following the guide- http://www.alliancelibraries.info/virtualworlds/ lines found on: http://secondlife.com/ Resources corporate/dmca.php She then had to Second Life Education Community Confer- Blog wait until real-world lawyers stepped ence (SLEDcc) Your2ndPlace. Our Realities. Our Worlds. in and adjudicated her case. http://sledcc.wikispaces.com/ http://www.your2ndplace.com/aggregator/ We turn away from the adventures K12 Online Conference 2008 sources/1 of Miss Avatar to a real-life headline: http://k12onlineconference.org/ 10 TechTrends • January/February 2009 Volume 53, Number 1 Volume 53, Number 1 TechTrends • January/February 2009 11 SLACTIONS 2009 Associated Press. (2008, October 23). Virtual www.secondlifeinsider.com/2006/11/03/ Research conference in the Second Life ‘murder’ leads to real-world arrest. Re- who-are-the-griefers/ world. trieved October 23, 2008, from http://cbs- Reuters, E. (2007). Merchants decry Second http://www.slactions.org/ 4denver.com/watercooler/virtual.murder. Life copyright chaos. Retrieved October japan.2.847100.html 30, 2008, from http://secondlife.reuters. Virtual Worlds London Fetscherin, M., & Lattemann, C. (2007, com/stories/2007/11/07/merchants-decry- http://www.virtualworldslondon.com/ June). User acceptance of virtual worlds; second-life-copyright-chaos/ an explorative study about Second Life. Romme, A. (2003) Learning outcomes of Research Groups Retreived October 30, 2008, from http:// microworlds for management education. Second Life Research www.fetscherin.com/UserAcceptanceVir- Management Learning, 34(1),51-62. http://secondliferesearch.blogspot. tualWorlds.htm Schroeder, R. (2007). An overview of ethical com/2008/01/gartners-generation-virtual. Granick, J. (2006). Second Life will save and social issues in shared virtual environ- html copyright. Retrieved October 30, 2008, ments. Futures, 39(6), 704. from http://www.wired.com/gam- Shutkin, D. (2004). Virtual community and Slrl – Second Life Research Listserv ing/virtualworlds/commentary/circuit- ethical differences in the field of education. http://list.academ-x.com/listinfo.cgi/slrl-aca- court/2006/11/72143 JCT, 20(4), 91-113. dem-x.com James, C., Howard, G., et al. (2008) Young Siemaszko, C. (2008, October 23). Woman People, Ethics, and the New Digital Media: kills husband’s video game avatar in virtual Bibliography A synthesis from the Good Play Project. murderous rage. Daily News/U.S. World Annotated Bibliography of Second Life On- Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http:// News. Retrieved November 21, 2008, line Educational Resources www.pz.harvard.edu/eBookstore/PDFs/ from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ Mark Pepper, Purdue University GoodWork54.pdf us_world/2008/10/23/2008-10-23_woman_ http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~mpepper/slbib Kerbs, R. W. (2005). Social and ethical con- kills_husbands_video_game_avatar_i.html siderations in virtual worlds. The electronic Steel, E. (2006, November 16). Avatars at References library, 5(23), 539-547. the office.The Wall Street Journal On- Annetta, L., Murray, M., Laird, S., Bohr, S., & Lee, A. (2007, November 13). Gartner rec- line. Retrieved November 16, 2006, from Park, J. (2008). Investigating student atti- ommendations on ‘generation virtual’. http://208.144.115.170/hrcenter/ar- tudes toward a synchronous, online gradu- Retrieved October 30, 2008, from http:// ticles/20061116-steel.html ate course in a multi-user virtual learning www.worldsinmotion.biz/2007/11/gart- Urpeth, John. (2008) Sex, lies and reality. environment. Journal of Technology and ner_recommendations_on_gen.php Proximity London. Retrieved October 29, Teacher Education, 16(1), 5-34. Retrieved Media Age. London: May 17, 2007, 19. 2008, from http://bbdolab.typepad.com/ August 12, 2008, from Research Library da- Nino, Tateru. (2006) Who are the griefers? the_lab/files/john_urpeth.pdf tabase. (Document ID: 1433117041). Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://

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