Naughty neighbors place political billboards everywhere in Second Life

by Vladimir Cole { Dec 9th 2005 at 1:59AM }

Wagner James Au describes a quality-of-life issue affecting denizens of the popular virtual world Second Life. Part griefing, part political statement, part money-making scheme—some subscribers to virtual world Second Life are purchasing tiny parcels of land next to established residences and shops and putting garish and obtrusive billboards on them like the one pictured here.

Some people are ignoring the ads. Some are petitioning Linden Labs—the company that runs the virtual world—to take them down. Some are buying up the small parcels of land that contain the billboards for about $2 to $4 USD and then removing the billboards themselves.

Sounds like Linden Labs is going to need to set up some zoning laws governing the erection of advertising. And so the virtual world becomes more and more like the one people are trying to escape.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

SetupWeasel @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

Greifing? Reminds me of the whole "cybersquatting" crap.

If you don't like it, tough. The game allows it. Furthermore, it isn't hurting anyone. They bought the land. You should have bought the land first if you cared so much.

In digital real estate, like real real estate, snoozing = losing. My guess is that most of these people are sore because they didn't think of it first.

Note: Though I am a democrat with an intense dislike of the man masquerading as our president, I would respect the right of those with the opposite view to do the same thing. This "your protest doesn't belong here" crap has got to stop. Freedom of speech applies everywhere.

In closing, Carlos Delgado for president.

epobirs @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

No, freedom of speech doesn't apply everywhere. Private business, such as Second Life, is under no requirement to allow anything. They can make any arbitrary rule they wish. The Constitution does not apply as it is not an action of government restricting speech in this case. If a moron wearing a Che t-shirt comes into your place of business you have every right to tell him to get lost.

What is the point of entering this fantasy world if only to encounter the same brand of extremist idiots from either end of the political spectrum that contribute so much unpleasantness to the real world? I'd tell these jerks to leave it at home or find an echo chamber rather than overtly seeking conflict.

Prokofy Neva @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

In RL, freedom of speech is limited in time, place, and manner by law. These signs have nothing to do with the legitimate anti-Bush cause, they are land extortion pure and simple, by a greedy land baron who deliberately plants multiple, large, ugly, spinning signs on tiny, outrageously priced plots to force people to buy the land to get them out of the way. He has taken over and devalued this way hundreds of thousands of meters of land affecting thousands of people. Linden Lab needs to regular billboards, or more to the point, land extortion.

patrick @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

idk if u are right about the che shirt #2... if a business refused service to a black person and told them to get the hell out u don't think they would get in trouble with the law in the US? there would definitely be some repercussions, if only by a race-card playing lawsuit
that said... the private business does have the right UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, but would it be respected?

Bob dobbs @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

Couple of points not mentioned in the article:

Firstly, this is not the work of "Some residents", it's the work of ONE resident - Lazarus Divine. And secondly don't be fooled for one second that this is a political or freedom-of-speech issue. It's nothing more than extortion, plain and simple. Lazarus has admitted this to people.

Of course, he has as much right to build anything within the ToS on his land as he wants, but people have the right to get pissed off with him, too.

Alex K. @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

#4, they have a right to descriminate based on race under the constitution but the right was taken away with the civil rights act.

also, it's not really descrimination to kick someone from your business for abusive behavior.

that said, i'd say this is abusive behavior based on this guy's apparant lack of any image editing skills.

DG @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

I've never played a MMORPG (that's what Second Life is, right?). There's a whole universe that exists on computers from which I am completely detached.

I'm kind of happy about that.

bill @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

#4, please. Race is a little bit diffrerent than fashion preference. I could require a dress code in my restaurant, but I could not refuse to serve someone because of race, ethnicity, disabilities, etc. Not sure about the states but there's like a list of 13 things no business can discriminate against whether serving, hiring, or doing business in general in Canada. But a dress code? No problem.

vc @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

You are NOT going to solve the Bush issue here, folks, so stay on topic and stay away from the politics of the issue and stick to the games portion of the issue.

If your comment is zapped, that's why.

bouncicles @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

The Escapist has a bit about SL's issues of land management:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/issue/19/11

Personally, I hope it stays wild and crazy. If they legislate too much, they'll wind up with a simulacrum of the real world, and then what's the point? WOW! Now I have petition the SL zoning board for a permit to add a 30-foot pink dildo to my ice castle. WHOO-HOO! Even The Sims, despite what people say, isn't a real life simulator, it's a game with theme of human/environment interaction. I hope Linden Lab just let's things go nuts and apocalyptic.

hydrogen_wv @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

If you want the propaganda gone, make an offer to the guy who bought it from the peoplethat ownthe game. If yuou want it gone bad enough that you'll cough up $100 for it... I'm sure he'd sell.

and really, what's the harm. It's not effecting you. If you want to complain against something, complain against campers in counterstrike or cheaters,etc. in other online games. They are effecting your experience.