Yes or No: Adult content on a General Sim

[BilliJo Aldrin]

Are items that depict graphic adult activities (ie sex beds) allowed anywhere on a General rated sim, specifically indoors on someones private, locked down parcel?

I've read the land ratings and it seems to me such things aren't allowed, but what do I know?

[Parx Oran]

No. 

Depends on the place and who really cares, but as a general rule. No.

Not everybody in SL is there for sex. A large portion of it is, but I hate coming into a regular sim only to be greeted by a horny neckbeard sporting shark t*ts and a mesh buttplug. I don't wanna look at it, and I know I'm not the only one. That's of course only one example, but listing all the degenerative fetishes that exist in SL would collectively break the forum server from pure text content.

So if you're thinking about it, spare people the trouble of having to be the one to say "Hi, can you please put some clothes on, or at least wipe the fecal smear off your face?"

Edited November 21, 2017 by Parx Oran

[Morgan Rosenstar]

this maybe?

------------------------------------------------

General 

A region designated General is not allowed to advertise or make available content or activity that is sexually explicit, violent, or depicts nudity.  Sexually-oriented objects such as "sex beds" or poseballs may not be located or sold in General regions.

General regions are areas where you should feel free to say and do things that you would be comfortable saying and doing in front of your grandmother or a grade school class. Institutions such as universities, conference organizers, and real world businesses may wish to designate their regions as General. Likewise their users (and others) may wish to employ Second Life's General search setting to focus and filter search results appropriately.

Some landowners and Residents desire a Second Life experience distinct from the activity that occurs in Moderate and Adult regions. Region owners who wish to host this sort of Second Life experience can (but need not) designate their regions as General. 

If you are a region owner and you feel there is some ambiguity as to whether your content and activities are allowed in General regions, it's probably best to designate your region as Moderate.

[BilliJo Aldrin]

I quoted that to someone but he said "oh it doesn't apply to me in the privacy of my own house"

 

[Parx Oran]

except people's houses in this game aren't private unless they're on their own sim. Also Christ, why are people walking around naked in their video game houses for entertainment lol. read a book, go outside. walk around your house naked IRL ffs.

[Bobbie Faulds]

That person is wrong. The ONLY way you MIGHT be able to get away with it is to set up ban lines so only certain people can get into the place, put the house in a skybox and set the land so only those on the parcel can see and speak to those on the parcel. Even then, the bed could be AR'd and returned. Better to go to a moderate or adult sim.

[Phil Deakins]

Even that isn't a way to get away with it, because it's against the rules, which clearly state, "Sexually-oriented objects such as "sex beds" or poseballs may not be located or sold in General regions". There is no suggestion that it's ok if the curtains are drawn.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Phil Deakins

[BilliJo Aldrin]

8 hours ago, Bobbie Faulds said:

That person is wrong. The ONLY way you MIGHT be able to get away with it is to set up ban lines so only certain people can get into the place, put the house in a skybox and set the land so only those on the parcel can see and speak to those on the parcel. Even then, the bed could be AR'd and returned. Better to go to a moderate or adult sim.

Well of course, people get away with it all the time. 

I stated this thread because someone insisted that sex beds on private property in G sims were permitted.

I said they weren't, he insisted I didn't read the ratings properly.

Not sure how anyone can misunderstand "not allowed"

*shrugs*

[Qa Boa]

10 hours ago, Morgan Rosenstar said:

this maybe?

------------------------------------------------

General 

A region designated General is not allowed to advertise or make available content or activity that is sexually explicit, violent, or depicts nudity.  Sexually-oriented objects such as "sex beds" or poseballs may not be located or sold in General regions.

General regions are areas where you should feel free to say and do things that you would be comfortable saying and doing in front of your grandmother or a grade school class. Institutions such as universities, conference organizers, and real world businesses may wish to designate their regions as General. Likewise their users (and others) may wish to employ Second Life's General search setting to focus and filter search results appropriately.

Some landowners and Residents desire a Second Life experience distinct from the activity that occurs in Moderate and Adult regions. Region owners who wish to host this sort of Second Life experience can (but need not) designate their regions as General. 

If you are a region owner and you feel there is some ambiguity as to whether your content and activities are allowed in General regions, it's probably best to designate your region as Moderate.

 

10 hours ago, BilliJo Aldrin said:

I quoted that to someone but he said "oh it doesn't apply to me in the privacy of my own house"

 

I am the one it was quoted to. My argument is simple: It refers to advertising and anything in the open and is publicly visible and accessible.

There have been a lot of direct discussion with the Lindens about this when they removed the PG version of rating and created the Adult rating. This question was asked a lot. For legal reasons it is phrased the way it is. The TOS is generally a restrictive document, meaning in it they generally explain what you cannot do. So read it again, the context is pretty clear and nowhere does it restrict private parcels; it clearly refers to open access. It refers to what I can see out my windows, not what anyone can see into them.

Either way, it is a moot question in the long run, as we all throw our opinions around. If you want an official answer then ask the Lindens. Simply file a support ticket, they will answer it.

[Anna Nova]

5 hours ago, Phil Deakins said:

... There is no suggestion that it's ok if the curtains are drawn.

Quite.  And what does a curtain matter, or even walls for that matter.  Just cam right in.

Far more worrying IMO, is the failure of Linden Labs to ensure that Clothes Meshes rezz before Body Meshes in General areas.  Some of the Mesh Body tatts I've see before the clothes rezzed are truly scary - and definitely sexual (but not scripted, so not against the TOS)!

PS:, It don't worry me none.

Edited November 21, 2017 by anna2358
Post scriptum

[Phil Deakins]

@Qa Boa

I don't know where you got what you described from, "A region designated General is not allowed to advertise or make available content or activity that is sexually explicit, violent, or depicts nudity.  Sexually-oriented objects such as "sex beds" or poseballs may not be located or sold in General regions." There are 2 sentences, and there's nothing in the second one to indicate that it refers to the first sentence or anything that you said.

You should understand that all of the Lindens don't know all of the rules concerning this particular topic. Some years ago, when the Adult category came in, a Linden responding to someone's AR made me stop putting my bots on sex beds in my store, which was in a Moderate sim. He got it wrong, but I had to comply while I contacted Harry Linden, and quoted and linked to Linden posts in the forum that stated that what I was doing certainly was allowed. My bots went back in without any changes. I started a thread about it back then.

What I'm saying is that, even if a Linden told you that it's ok, it doesn't guarantee that it really is ok, and, in this case, the ToS is perfectly clear - it is not ok.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Phil Deakins

[Adamburp Adamczyk]

At the risk of spamming

 

from the wiki

 

https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Adult_Content_FAQ

 

about 1/4 of the way down the page it says this:

 

The maturity ratings distinguish between publicly-promoted adult content, required to be on Adult regions, and non-public adult content, such as private homes with a sex bed, that can be located on Moderate land.

Adult activities cannot be advertised or publicly promoted on Moderate land. Such activity must occur privately, behind closed doors on Moderate land (see below), and is forbidden on General land. These restrictions apply regardless of whether the parcel has hidden avatars.

 

 

So basically, if it's your own home, use avi privacy

[Morgan Rosenstar]

39 minutes ago, Qa Boa said:

it clearly refers to open access.

Well it must be then because nowhere I read any mention of open access.

 

11 hours ago, Morgan Rosenstar said:

A region designated General is not allowed to advertise or make available content or activity that is sexually explicit, violent, or depicts nudity.

 

11 hours ago, Morgan Rosenstar said:

Sexually-oriented objects such as "sex beds" or poseballs may not be located or sold in General regions.

 

And the wiki explains even further :

What does "advertises or publicly promotes" mean?

The maturity ratings distinguish between publicly-promoted adult content, required to be on Adult regions, and non-public adult content, such as private homes with a sex bed, that can be located on Moderate land.

Adult activities cannot be advertised or publicly promoted on Moderate land. Such activity must occur privately, behind closed doors on Moderate land (see below), and is forbidden on General land. These restrictions apply regardless of whether the parcel has hidden avatars.

Advertising for SL search using adult words clearly requires being on Adult land. Other examples of advertising or publicly-promoting include renting signs inworld, listing on events, buying ads in newspapers, or distributing flyers or notecards to passersby.

Private invitations to friends are not considered advertising or promoting. Inviting everyone in a small private group that you control is not considered advertising. However, inviting everyone in a public group can be considered a promotional effort.

 

And finally the privacy/behind closed doors part :

What does "behind closed doors" mean?

Adult activity on Moderate land must be conducted "behind closed doors," meaning that you must make every reasonable effort to ensure that the parcel is private. This means:

Allow only a group or specific individuals access to the parcel. If it is group-access only, the group must not be freely open to join.

Hide avatars (turn off avatar visibility) for the parcel.

Enclose the area behind walls or other visual barriers.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Morgan Rosenstar

[Ceka Cianci]

It's not allowed on general at all mainly because, that's where the under aged are..

 

[Drake1 Nightfire]

13 hours ago, Morgan Rosenstar said:

this maybe?

------------------------------------------------

General 

A region designated General is not allowed to advertise or make available content or activity that is sexually explicit, violent, or depicts nudity.  Sexually-oriented objects such as "sex beds" or poseballs may not be located or sold in General regions.

 

 

2 hours ago, Qa Boa said:

 

I am the one it was quoted to. My argument is simple: It refers to advertising and anything in the open and is publicly visible and accessible.

There have been a lot of direct discussion with the Lindens about this when they removed the PG version of rating and created the Adult rating. This question was asked a lot. For legal reasons it is phrased the way it is. The TOS is generally a restrictive document, meaning in it they generally explain what you cannot do. So read it again, the context is pretty clear and nowhere does it restrict private parcels; it clearly refers to open access. It refers to what I can see out my windows, not what anyone can see into them.

Either way, it is a moot question in the long run, as we all throw our opinions around. If you want an official answer then ask the Lindens. Simply file a support ticket, they will answer it.

Wrong. You can not advertise adult content on G sims.. There is a period after that sentence. Then it says "Sexually-oriented objects such as "sex beds" or poseballs may not be located or sold in General regions." Black and white.. NO! Don't do it! Adult objects or poseballs are not allowed to be located or sold in G sims.. 

I mean, ya quoted the post that says that.. why the argument? It isn't hard to understand language.. It says don't do it. 

[Pandora Barzane]

my general rule is

G - pretty much  no adult material allowed, including sexbeds, chat, in graphic or sound. You can get reported for this.

M - within four walls, or in skyboxes you're allowed to put adult things up, sexbeds, chat, graphic or sound, just dont put a stripper club on ground level.

A - anything goes (within the EULA).

 

[BilliJo Aldrin]

13 hours ago, Adamburp Adamczyk said:

At the risk of spamming

 

from the wiki

 

https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Adult_Content_FAQ

 

about 1/4 of the way down the page it says this:

 

The maturity ratings distinguish between publicly-promoted adult content, required to be on Adult regions, and non-public adult content, such as private homes with a sex bed, that can be located on Moderate land.

Adult activities cannot be advertised or publicly promoted on Moderate land. Such activity must occur privately, behind closed doors on Moderate land (see below), and is forbidden on General land. These restrictions apply regardless of whether the parcel has hidden avatars.

 

 

So basically, if it's your own home, use avi privacy

You contradicted yourself at the end. The article says you must ensure adult activities are hidden on a moderate sim, and are FORBIDDEN on a general sim.

It doesn't matter if you can't see the avatars doing the nasty, doesn't matter if its a skybox 4000 m up in the air. Any Adult activity is FORBIDDEN on a general sim, anywhere.

 

[Callum Meriman]

Quote

Sexually-oriented objects such as "sex beds" or poseballs may not be located or sold in General regions.

that's pretty clear. No sex beds in General Areas

Quote

 is forbidden on General land. These restrictions apply regardless of whether the parcel has hidden avatars.

That's also pretty clear. Doesn't matter if it's in a house. No sex beds.

[Chaser Zaks]

For legal reasons, no. Anything sexual or otherwise adult content like in a general rated location is a big no no.

Linden Lab allows residents under the age of 18 and above the age of 15 to access Second Life[1], but only General rated regions. Therefore, putting adult content on general rated regions risks putting minors in view of sexual content.

This includes private areas, even if they have ban lines and security orbs. Ban lines only work up to a certain height, and security orbs might not work(EG: Scripts on the region are off).

If you wish to put sexual content on your land, consider placing it in private on a moderate sim[2], or somewhere on a adult sim.

 

[1] http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Teens_in_Second_Life

[2] http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Adult_Content_FAQ#What_does_.22behind_closed_doors.22_mean.3F

[Hintswen Guardian]

No, if there is anything you wouldn't expect a child av to use/be near in a general sim, then it shouldn't be there IMHO.

[Qa Boa]

5 hours ago, Hintswen Guardian said:

No, if there is anything you wouldn't expect a child av to use/be near in a general sim, then it shouldn't be there IMHO.

I'll answer the above quote to make my point:

If I don't do the "family thing" in SL or hang around them, why on earth would I allow an SL kid into my home or parcel?

I am clearly speaking at a different intellectually-cognitive level than many. So I'll just leave things as they are, because, after all, no one else's opinion really means anything to everyone else. It's all opinion. Nothing anyone can say or do will affect me and what I do on my land and vice-versa; the same for you. The question was asked. On a "legal" level what I describe is how it would clearly be ruled. But there's nothing about legal or law here, rather it's all in how Linden Lab interprets what they wrote themselves and how they enforce it.

My explanations have been based on what was written along with real, live, "in-person" discussions with several Lindens at the time these updates were inserted into the TOS (a.k.a. Around the time they introduced the Zoindra zone and dropped PG and added Adult ratings). Admittedly, that was also a long time ago and newer Lindens (high turnover at the company) may not be as cognitive about it as the oldbies were, so a different answer may result.

So be it.

Though in short, where a question about policy is involved, the best answer will always come from the Lindens, Hence such should be posed to them. User forums are simply an opinion-exchange amongst users, generally-speaking, though a Linden may contribute, once every great while.

I wish cheers to all!

[KanryDrago]

1 hour ago, Qa Boa said:

I'll answer the above quote to make my point:

If I don't do the "family thing" in SL or hang around them, why on earth would I allow an SL kid into my home or parcel?

I am clearly speaking at a different intellectually-cognitive level than many. So I'll just leave things as they are, because, after all, no one else's opinion really means anything to everyone else. It's all opinion. Nothing anyone can say or do will affect me and what I do on my land and vice-versa; the same for you. The question was asked. On a "legal" level what I describe is how it would clearly be ruled. But there's nothing about legal or law here, rather it's all in how Linden Lab interprets what they wrote themselves and how they enforce it.

My explanations have been based on what was written along with real, live, "in-person" discussions with several Lindens at the time these updates were inserted into the TOS (a.k.a. Around the time they introduced the Zoindra zone and dropped PG and added Adult ratings). Admittedly, that was also a long time ago and newer Lindens (high turnover at the company) may not be as cognitive about it as the oldbies were, so a different answer may result.

So be it.

Though in short, where a question about policy is involved, the best answer will always come from the Lindens, Hence such should be posed to them. User forums are simply an opinion-exchange amongst users, generally-speaking, though a Linden may contribute, once every great while.

I wish cheers to all!

The TOS seems pretty clear to me and that despite you are getting away with it currently that you are in fact contravening it.

There is a simple test however just invite several people from the thread around to your home for the purpose of AR'ing you and if you are still there after the investigation we know that LL interprets it your way, if you home gets removed after we know they interpret it as written

[Hintswen Guardian]

3 hours ago, Qa Boa said:

I'll answer the above quote to make my point:

If I don't do the "family thing" in SL or hang around them, why on earth would I allow an SL kid into my home or parcel?

I am clearly speaking at a different intellectually-cognitive level than many. So I'll just leave things as they are, because, after all, no one else's opinion really means anything to everyone else. It's all opinion. Nothing anyone can say or do will affect me and what I do on my land and vice-versa; the same for you. The question was asked. On a "legal" level what I describe is how it would clearly be ruled. But there's nothing about legal or law here, rather it's all in how Linden Lab interprets what they wrote themselves and how they enforce it.

My explanations have been based on what was written along with real, live, "in-person" discussions with several Lindens at the time these updates were inserted into the TOS (a.k.a. Around the time they introduced the Zoindra zone and dropped PG and added Adult ratings). Admittedly, that was also a long time ago and newer Lindens (high turnover at the company) may not be as cognitive about it as the oldbies were, so a different answer may result.

So be it.

Though in short, where a question about policy is involved, the best answer will always come from the Lindens, Hence such should be posed to them. User forums are simply an opinion-exchange amongst users, generally-speaking, though a Linden may contribute, once every great while.

I wish cheers to all!

A region designated General is not allowed to advertise or make available content or activity that is sexually explicit, violent, or depicts nudity.  Sexually-oriented objects such as "sex beds" or poseballs may not be located or sold in General regions.

Source: Maturity ratings

That paragraph makes it pretty clear to me that such objects are not allowed even if they are behind "closed doors".

[Ceka Cianci]

I'm sure all those brown bag meetings sound bytes are still around if someone feels like going back to hear them say how it's not allowed on general..

If you can't find the sound bytes,the transcripts should still be there..

I'd look around the old KB first..

 

[Theresa Tennyson]

18 hours ago, Qa Boa said:

I am clearly speaking at a different intellectually-cognitive level than many.

Well, that's one way to put it...

My explanations have been based on what was written along with real, live, "in-person" discussions with several Lindens at the time these updates were inserted into the TOS (a.k.a. Around the time they introduced the Zoindra zone and dropped PG and added Adult ratings). Admittedly, that was also a long time ago and newer Lindens (high turnover at the company) may not be as cognitive about it as the oldbies were, so a different answer may result.

It was also before the teen grid closed, so it was at a time when, unlike now, there should have been no chance of a legal minor being on a G-rated region.