SECOND LIFE, Oct. 8 - Members of the interactive website www.secondlife.com are keeping virtual life clean.
Volunteers walk the streets monitoring behavior, reminding members of the rules, and banning those who break the law.
“You will never get in trouble using just common sense,” said Toy LaFollette, member of New Citizens Inc.
LaFollette acts as a citizen patroller in the New Citizens Inc. area, a site where new members can learn about Second Life.
For volunteer patrollers such as LaFollette, authority to eject and ban lawbreakers resides only in their assigned area or island.
LaFollette said there are areas in Second Life called “Damage-enabled areas,” where attacking an avatar, or a digital representation of oneself, is permissible.
Avatars attacked outside those regions should immediately file an abuse report, located under “Help.”
“You can beat the crap out of people,” said Sabriel Setsuko, member of AKK Horse Ranch. “How, I don’t know. I got beat up because someone said I looked better than they did.”
Setsuko laughed and said as a newcomer, she entered a store before her clothing fully generated and was warned repeatedly to get dressed or leave.
“I was just running around in my pink panties,” Setsuko said. “I didn’t know what was going on at that time.”
LaFollette urged newcomers in Second Life to take live classes and learn the rules, as well as tips about creating and editing on the site.
“Second Life takes a lot of patience,” LaFollette said. “Like I said, common sense and you stay out of trouble.”