[Bringing Teens to Second Life’s Main Grid]

    Per the OP, teens will be allowed to access ONLY general/PG sims.On the registration page, there is a place to enter your birth date. You also must check off that you have read and understand the TOS. Anyone who enters a birthdate making them 16 - 17 will by default only be allowed access to PG/general sims.

     Do I think it's perfect? No. Do I believe for even thirty seconds that there won't be some teens who fudge their birth date by a few months? That's too funny to consider. Fact is, there are and always have been teens doing the exact same thing to access the main grid. I've met them, found out and immediately reported their status to LL.

    A reasonable guess is that nearly everyone who has spent much time in SL has also interacted with a teen. There will always be those who seek to circumvent the rules, be it a teen who wishes to access the mature sims or the "ageplayers" who push every edge that they can to do as they wish. All we. as residents can do is do as we have always done. Be vigilant, report as necesary and move on.

    While, as I've stated previously, I am not in favor of this merger, there is nothing that I can do but accept it for what it is. It is a change, nothing more and nothing less. I expect it to affect my SL experience in no way at all other than the fact that there MAY be a few more teens breaking the rules and forcing me to spend a valuable minute of my time reporting them to the lab.

     Brynn

[Bringing Teens to Second Life’s Main Grid]

    Ryuu, I agree 100% with you. However, I reserve those activities for mature/adult areas, with people I can actually see. PG/general sims (you know, where the teens will be) are defined as areas without mature/adult activity for those that choose to live their SL in that fashion, or simply want a respite from it.

    Believe me, if I venture to one of my favorite general sims and get approached for some casual pixel-bumping..the person will NOT enjoy my response. It will be PG in nature, however, the great thing about language is I can and have made people feel about an inch tall without the first vulgar word.

      Brynn

[Bringing Teens to Second Life’s Main Grid]

      My point is, that we still do have that. On the myriad of mature and adult sims available as well as our own homes if we are fortunate enough to have them. There is nothing in this shift that changes the "expected bahaviors" found in a certain sim. The only thing that does change is that if you are the type that will accept random friendings from people you haven't even seen or engage in mature or adult behaviors in IM with people whome you are not at least moderately aquainted with, you may wish to re-think those particular actions.

      Seriously, with the way the system currently is, with the exception of a profile tag and a (T) after a teens name, I see very little to change. Group access COULD be an issue, although a teen will not be able to search for mature groups, so little hazard there. As for invites from members, MOST groups I'm associated with have a finite group who may invite new members. They of course may have to excercise a bit more diligence, though that remains to be seen.

      Also Michael, I am not singling you out. Just simply adding to the discussion and trying to alleviate some fears as well as offer some alternatives.

 

      Brynn

[Bringing Teens to Second Life’s Main Grid]

     It has nothing to do with raunchy, sexual behavior. general/PG means just that. From my understanding, there are to be no mature behaviors. These include profanity, risque jokes or anything of that sort. Basically, when I am on a general sim, my guideline is.."Could I say/do that in church or in front of my highly religious and prusish grandmother?"

     I dress appropriately and carry myself in that fashion. As for IM's, I have never made it a practice to entertain long conversations with those I can't see. Even among my friends, we'll go to their house, my house or a beach or club for any real conversation.

     Maybe that's where my problem is. I very much treat SL as much like RL as is prudent and warranted. In RL, I don't make it a habit of finding names in a phone book, doing a Google search to learn about them and then call them on the phone and say :HI, let's be friends!!". I also really don't care to meet such people.

     Brynn

[Bringing Teens to Second Life’s Main Grid]

     Maybe it's just me, but a few things just don't add up here. Believe me, I am far from a proponent of the merger and also far from a prude.

     First, it is no small task to single out an avi in a club. I do it on a nitely basis in a place that can easily have 25-30 guests and sometimes up to 70.

     Second, in a highly graphic environment like SL, why in the world would I engage in RP in IM only? That seems to only detract from the experience.

     Next, I never have and never will accept a "friends" request from someone I haven't "seen". I rarely even engage in much conversation with someone that I can't see. They don't hand out points for friends count and my list is quite extensive enough as it is.

     I agree that there does need to be an identifier both in the profile and as a part of the residents name but that is a fairly easy thing to accomplish. How hard can it be to turn "Sarah Resident into Sarah Resident(T)?

     As far as knowing location of whom you're speaking to..the mini map shows sin edges which lets you know whether the avi is in he same or a different sim.

     I see a lot of people cunfuring up every possible scenario where bad things can happen and yes, they do exist. However, if we as adults simply cunduct ourselves as such, follow the rules and guidelines already in place and use a small bit of common sense, I highly doubt that any of us will find ourselves in court or even in a possition where that would be possible.

        Brynn

[Bringing Teens to Second Life’s Main Grid]

      While I do aggree with you in essence, the still remains that I do NOT engage in mature/adult behaviors on general rated sims. I never have nor do I plan to start. Personally, I feel that anyone who does is showing great disrespect to the sim owner and is in fact in breach of TOS/Community Standards.

[Bringing Teens to Second Life’s Main Grid]

    Hi again all. I guess what's confusing me here is all the uproar over someone "accidentally" hooking up with a teen once they are allowed on the main grid. I'm sure that som eone will enlighten me if my thinking on this is considered wrong in som,e way.

    When I go to/end up in a PG/General sim, I know that not only the rating, but the TOS and community Standards Require me to dress and behave in a certain way. Adult activity is not allowed on such sims in any fashion, that is their very purpose for existence. They are for residents who for whatever reason, wish to enjoy SL in a setting free from adult and mature behaviors. For me to disrespect that not only flies in the face of the rules but shows no regard for the sim owner and residents who are there to enjoy the sim as it was intended.

    Perhaps I'm an odd person..maybe I'm even a prude, but the idea of trying to hook-up on a general sim has never occurred to me in my two years of being here. Even if by some chance, I were approached by someone, I certainly wouldn't act out anything with them on that sim for the above mentined reasons, not to mention the complete lack of facilities for said encounter. I have a lovely home which is on mature land to use or would gladly visit them at their home on mature/adult land.

    Noiw, someone explain to me exactly what risks I face from this merger in it's current form?

     Brynn

[Bringing Teens to Second Life’s Main Grid]

    Hi everyone,

  I was reading a few of the comments and decided to put in my two cents. It may run to a nickle but what the heck, A bit of background on me. I do work in the adult industry as a dancer/manager of a club and do have mention of the club in my profile, however, the content is no worse than could be found in alnost any newspaper in the US.

  First, regarding interaction with teens while shopping, visiting a park etc. I don't make it a habit of conversing with other shoppers in the first place and any inappropriate comments quickly trigger the mute response. I know that not everyone follows the same rules, but those who think that teens aren't exposed to behavior far worse than that found legally on any general sim apparently hasn't spent a lot of time outside lately. Basically, it goes to taking some responsibility for your actions and being aware. Teens generally speak differently than adults, both in phrasing and content, so just pay attention and when there is any doubt..ask. I also log ALL conversations, in the event that accusations are made, I at least do have some defense in that regard.

  Next, concerning a teen camming into my property and seeing something that they shouldn't. I know of no jurisdiction where a homeowner would be held criminally liable if a teen were caught peeping in their bedroom window at night. One is not held responsible if one is acting with the reasonable assumption of privacy. My home is set up with the fun stuff upstairs and the windows are laid out so that in order to see anything, you must be looking downward into the house from outside. I highly doubt that any authority would even remotely consider me derelict in my attempts to screen innappropriate activity from prying eyes.

  I do agree with the post concerning purchases as well as the one making the teen profile easily distinguishable fom an adult. These should be fairly simple additions. Once again however, I doubt that a shop-keeper would be held liable if someone specifically NOT allowed even on their property would up with one of their items. I may be wrong there, but it goes to the principle of reasonable measures.

  Finally, I am not nor have I ever been a proponent of a TG/MG merger and remain in opposition. However, the decision has been made and we all will have to deal with it as best we can. I personally think that this will end up being much wringing of hands for no good reason..we shall see.

    Brynn