Research with children

[TeacherLiz]

Hi! Does Second Life allow children ages 12 below to use it for research purposes? If so, how can I get assistance on creating Second Life land / place fit for the research? Are there fees? Thanks!

[Lindal Kidd]

Sorry, people under 16 are not allowed to use Second Life.

Well, mostly.  Under certain conditions, minors over the age of 13 can use SL, if they belong to an organization (such as a scout troop, church, or school youth group) that provides adult supervision.  They can only use the region(s) sponsored by that organization, which might limit the research they can do.

If you are asking about setting up your own region and represent an educational institution, this link will provide more information.  http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Education_and_Non-Profit_Discount_Terms_and_Conditions

There is an educational discount, but it's still pretty costly to set up and maintain a region in SL...$300 for the initial setup and $150 per month.

If you want your students to experiment with a virtual world, and don't need the huge pool of people and content that is Second Life, you can set up a region that is very much like a Second Life region on your own computer, using the free OpenSim software.  Or check out one of the OpenSim based grids such as Osgrid or InWorldz.  These are much smaller and more sparsely populated than SL, but may let you do what you wish.

[Rolig Loon]

No. 

Second Life is generally for adults 18 years and older; however, if you are 13 years of age or older you can use Second Life with some restrictions. If you're:

• 16-17 years old you can access regions and search results that have a General maturity rating.
• 13-15 years old, you can access Second Life through an affiliated organization and will be restricted to the private estate of that organization. Only avatars approved by that organization will be able to enter these estates. You can't use Second Life search or purchase items from the Marketplace.

Read more at http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Teens_in_Second_Life

and http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Teen_Safety_Guidelines

and the TOS (Sect 3), which begins, "

3.1 Age Requirements for the Service.

By accepting this Agreement, you represent that you are at least eighteen (18) years of age and you have the legal authority to enter into this Agreement. If you are at least thirteen (13) years of age and less than eighteen (18) years of age, then your parent or legal guardian must read and accept this Agreement, your use of the Service, participating in the Service, and providing any personal information in connection with the Service on your behalf. "