what are the rules on copying open chat from a roleplay sim in a public place on to a web site?

[Fiza Crystal]

I was under the impression if someone is roleplaying in open chat, ie a public conversation that anyone can view that that conversation is effectively public property.  I understand privacy of IM's and real life information, but I am talking about for instance a roleplay in public chat.  I have a copy of a dance given to me by a dancer, within this dance are parts of conversations in a tavern by other avatars, which all link and are a part of her dance.  She has given me permission to post this dance on to an external web site I am making for Gorean Dance, I say permission for the dance as people can covet understandably their creative dance writing and don't always wish others to see their writings incase for example they are going to use them ina competition.  I am presuming this is alright and that I don't have to seek permission to put the additional chat as this was in a public roleplay medium?

 

Also what are the legalities of posting this type of content on to an external site, ie nothing to do with second life as opposed to posting such content within second life, does this change, does second life have jurisdiction outside with regards to posting open chat?  I only want to make sure that I am doing the right thing. 

[valerie Inshan]

Websites outside SL are not ruled by the ToS so you would not be exposing yourself to get in trouble with Linden Lab. However, you might consider it is not very fair to others to post anything without their consent. But it is something your conscience will tell you, not any official rule. :smileywink:

ETA: Answering to you edit: LL has no jurisdiction on external websites. Just don't do that WITHIN SL or SL website and you won't be breaking SL's Terms of Service. 

[Freya Mokusei]

In terms of SL TOS:-

External site, post anything you like.

In terms of ethics (i.e., doing the right thing):-

It's considered typical that either parties are asked for permission to have their text, speech or image used by another party; especially if this is being done for promotional purposes (would you go back to a coffeeshop that featured your face on their next ad campaign without permission?). Any party who does not consent or cannot be asked should probably have their image blurred or statements anonymized.

Think of it this way; they're providing content for your site, for free. They should fairly remain in charge of that content - since it's theirs - and because their provision of content to you should be due to choice and mutual gain. You COULD take peoples words without asking, but if people don't like you doing this, how long are they likely to keep providing you with content?

Therefore it is my opinion that to remain ethical, you should at least honour requests for anonymity, and ideally ask all parties mentioned in the chat for consent.

[Codewarrior Congrejo]

Apart from Linden Labs Platform speciffic TOS:

(and yes as you stated it already private IMs and real life data are to treat privately and should not be shared in any way. No matter the content, roleplay or not, and no matter what platform it was on / messengers included)

Things that have been made publically accessable can be copy pasted without any issues. No matter if secondlife or any other platform. 

Though to get permission from the persons involved is always the best choice. And if you don't have these, and want to be on the safe side with copy pasting public conversations you can blurr the names (if its a screenshot) or simply rename the persons when its a text copy/paste.

[Malate Banufong]

My understanding is that all conversations, open or private, are subject to requiring the person's permission before you may post it elsewhere in SL

 

 

 

Disclosure

Residents are entitled to a reasonable level of privacy with regard to their Second Life experience. Sharing personal information about your fellow Residents without their consent -- including gender, religion, age, marital status, race, sexual preference, alternate account names, and real-world location beyond what is provided by them in their Resident profile -- is not allowed.  Remotely monitoring conversations in Second Life, posting conversation logs, or sharing conversation logs without the participants' consent are all prohibited.

 

From this you will see that there is no difference from IM's or open chat.

 

External websites, as already mentioned, are outside of LL control. However, there are other laws covering what is posted on websites about or from people and so it is always necessary to be sure you obtain full permissions to publish.

[Lindal Kidd]

"Things that have been made publically accessable can be copy pasted without any issues. No matter if secondlife or any other platform."

 

Sorry, that's not correct. My blog, for example, is publicly accessible...but it's copyrighted. So is any original work by anyone, no matter where it is printed, and no matter whether it is registered with the Copyright Office or whether it carries a copyright notice. The lack of those things makes it harder to prove one's claim to a work, but that does not change the law. The law says, if you create it, you own the copyright in it.