Second Life Liberation Army Hits By Virtual Terror

 

Self-Proclaimed Militant Army Starts Bombing Campaign on 3D Cyber World

 

In an explosive display, Virtual-world banes now mirror the havoc of the real one as terrorists have launched a bombing campaign in second life.

           People controlling animated avatar members of a self-proclaimed Second Life Liberation Army (SLLA) have set off computer-code versions of atomic bombs at virtual world stores in the past six months – with their own manifesto.

           The SLLA claims to be an “In-World military wing of a national liberation movement” devoted to replacing the rule of Second Life creator Linden Labs with a democracy representing the nearly four million residents.

 

• Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by a total of 4,022,456 People.
• While Second Life is sometimes referred to as a game, it does not have points, scores, winners or losers. Residents can visit this virtual world almost as if it were a real place.
• Its virtual currency is the Linden Dollar (Linden, or L$) and is exchangeable for US Dollars in a marketplace consisting of residents.
• SLLA bombing have been viewed by Linden as “mock terrorism” done in fun to catalyze debate about the in-world power structure.

 

“As Linden Labs is functioning as an authoritarian government the only appropriate response is to flight,” the SLLA said in a message on its website at www.secondlla.google-pages.com  “When the SLLA succeeds in its aims it will disband and hand power back to the political wing of the movement.” Creative dissent is welcomed in second Life as long as it doesn’t interface with the ability of other residents to enjoy the virtual world, according to San Francisco-based Linden.

           Second Life said it stopped charging tax on items created by residents after avatars fashioned in the images of American Revolutionaries recreated the Boston Tea Party in the virtual world about three years ago.

           Since then, web site users adept at manipulating computer codes have engineered mischief including a “push gun” that blasted other avatars back when fired, according to Linden. “We do the utmost to ensure the protection of creative expression, within certain bounds,” Linden marketing director Catherine Smith told AFP.

           “Ultimately, instances in which residents engage in simulated violence will have to be taken on a case-by-case basis.”

           The virtual bomb blasts in Second Life explode in hazy white balls, blotting out portions of a screen and battering nearby avatars, animated figures that are residents’ proxies in the virtual world.

           The disruptions are brief and do not cause lasting damage in Second Life, according to Linden. Residents are given free rein in Second Life, as long as they don’t harass or interfere with other avatars in what is referred to in world as “grieving.”

           SLLA bombings have been viewed by Linden as “mock terrorism” done in fun to catalyze debate about the in-world power structure.

           “We believe recent events involving SLLA protest lack malicious intent,” Smith said. “Resident reaction to such attacks has been decidedly tongue-in-cheek.”

           The SLLA website demands that Linden give second Life residents “basic rights” by going public and allowing each avatar to buy a share of stock at a set price. In instances where residents feel harasses by the SLLA, Linden will dole out temporary banishment or other such penalties as outlined in the virtual world’s written terms of service, according to Smith. – AFP Times Trends.