Second Life: XXX

SL Lawsuit
I found an image attached to an interesting article linked above.  This article is about the inventor of SL's "sex-gen" bed, which is a bed where avatars can have sex in multiple positions and use sexual toys, etc, wants to file a class-action suit against Linden Labs for allowing "knock-offs" of his sexual toys.  Apparently, SL even has its own Canal Street, where avatars can do just as humans and purchase knock offs of all sorts.  Now, is taking a virtual sex bed suit into the real life court room going a little too far ?


Virtual Trauma?
Is there such thing rape in Second Life?  Apparently the answer is yes, and in some cases it may be just as traumatic to view this happening to your own avatar as in real life.  This article discusses online rape and the mental and emotional distress it causes.  Worst case scenario is a child or teenager being the victim, he or she may have no idea the avatar they have encountered is a much older person on the other end.  Which brings me to another problem on SL, you never know who is on the other end of the screen.  For example, in an article from Newsweek an avatar was caught putting up child pornography on SL and paid for sex with underage players posing as minors.  Avatars that are caught engaging in sexual activity with minors, known as "cybering" on SL, are ultimately kicked off.  Sex is starting to become a big part of SL, avatars can write or buy scripts to do anything they want, use any toy, look a certain way, manipulate body parts, and dress however they want.  Avatars that are being forced into unwanted sexual activity can try to get away by transporting themselves and even texting speech onto the screen to warn others.  Hmm, I wonder if we could have a light up sign to hang over avatar sex offenders heads to warn other avatars?
http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/cybercrime/199500710


Age Play
"Age Play" is when residents of SL sculpt their avatars to resemble children and engage in child-like activities like playing on playgrounds .  There are even ageplay communities.  The problem here is that avatars are engaging in sex with these particular avatars and it is becoming a problem.  Linden Lab has now banned Age Play entirely.  According to Linden Lab "real-life images, avatar portrayals, and other depictions of sexual or lewd acts involving or appearing to involve children or minors are not allowed within Second Life.  When detected, individuals and groups promoting or providing such content and activities will be subject to sanctions, which may include termination of accounts, closure of groups, removal of content, and loss of land or access to land." The issue is that sometimes it goes undetected, but how is it possible to keep something like "ageplay" from happening?