杏吧原创

IT SHOULD have been a coming-of-age moment. In December 2006, Anshe Chung, the most prominent of Second Life鈥檚 entrepreneurs, was interviewed about her burgeoning , which she says is worth more than $1 million. It was a milestone to mark the emergence of a mature and corporate side to virtual worlds. But then, for a full 15 minutes, the virtual room in which she was being interviewed was invaded by .

Two months later, something similar happened. The Second Life headquarters of US presidential candidate John Edwards was attacked by a gang known as the Patriotic Nigras, who including faeces (see Picture). Other residents say they have received racist materials from the Nigras.

To anyone familiar with Second Life, airborne genitalia and offensive comments come as no surprise. Griefers 鈥� the disruptive residents who create such disturbances 鈥� have been active since the virtual world鈥檚 earliest days. Since many residents are attracted to Second Life precisely because of its anything-goes ethos, such behaviour is generally tolerated.

Now that Wild West spirit is under threat. With tens of thousands of denizens logged in at any one time and (see Chart), a class of entrepreneurs is emerging who see griefers not just as an annoyance but as a potential source of lost revenue. That can simply encourage the griefers, some of whom are irritated by residents who seem to take life in Second Life too seriously, but it also prompts entrepreneurs to turn to real-world courts to settle disputes. That in turn is cause for concern for residents who believe virtual worlds鈥� value lies in their freedom from real-world laws and norms.

鈥淎s the worlds industrialise we鈥檙e going to see more appeals to the law,鈥� says Ren Reynolds, an expert on virtual worlds based in London who is establishing . 鈥淭he worry is that legislators will say that virtual worlds should be like the real world.鈥� That might wreck the main reason for using virtual worlds, which, despite rampant commercialisation, many still view as fantasy spaces.

鈥淭he worry is that legislators will say that virtual worlds should be like the real world鈥�

Last week New 杏吧原创 reported how virtual worlds can enhance social interactions, by facilitating meetings between people who wouldn鈥檛 have that opportunity in real life or allowing them to step into the shoes of others (25 August, p 26). But it is also clear that virtual worlds are ripe for abusive behaviour, and that the naively enthusiastic attitude of some residents may even provoke it.

Studies of griefer psychology are limited, but the Nigras鈥� former leader, 鈥淢udkips Acronym鈥�, who declined to give his real-life name, is happy to talk about his gang鈥檚 motivations. He says that the group, which boasts between 35 and 60 members, is motivated by 鈥渓aughs鈥� and a desire to annoy the Second Lifers 鈥渨ho take their 鈥榤etaverse鈥� enormously seriously鈥�. Despite the fact that the Nigras hurl racist abuse at some residents (see 鈥淪econd Life 鈥� under attack鈥�), Acronym says that he is not aware of anyone who is 鈥渢ruly racist鈥�. Rather, 鈥渨e do anything we can to shock people鈥�.

In the past, online communities have either endured residents like Acronym or acted together to punish them. In World of Warcraft (WoW), an online game full of elves and dragons where players compete for gold and weapons, users often group themselves into that police themselves, so that certain tasks, such as dividing the spoils of a raid, can be carried out fairly.

Linden Lab, the San Francisco firm that runs Second Life, is also happy to let its residents settle their own disputes. The company says its goal is 鈥渘either to be a 鈥榞overnment鈥� nor to foist one upon the residents鈥�. Rather, it hopes to 鈥渇oster a self-governing community where residents are empowered to act on things they feel strongly about, and adjudicate such disputes鈥�.

Self-policing is sometimes so effective that it can be used not just to punish residents, but also to wrest control of a virtual world from its owner. Last year, that鈥檚 exactly what residents of WoW did when Blizzard Entertainment, of Irvine, California, which runs the world, . Once word spread, players organised protest marches in WoW, says Reynolds. Some wore pink armour as a symbol of support for the proposed guild. Bloggers also criticised the decision. Eventually Blizzard backed down, and now several GLBT guilds exist.

The approach appears to be breaking down, however, as entrepreneurial residents call upon real-world justice systems to settle disputes. 鈥淢ost people consider virtual worlds to be like the Wild West, places where the law doesn鈥檛 apply,鈥� says Sean Kane, an attorney with Drakeford & Kane in New York City who specialises in internet law. 鈥淏ut the law will catch up.鈥�

Financial disputes are the most common trigger for legal action. Last month, Second Lifer Kevin Alderman filed suit against a resident known as Volkov Catteneo over Alderman鈥檚 SexGen bed, which animates Second Life avatars so that they are able to perform more than 150 sexual acts. Alderman鈥檚 suit alleges that Catteneo, whose real-life name is not known, is selling a pirated version of the bed, which normally sells for $45.

Another virtual entrepreneur who has contemplated 鈥� but not yet initiated 鈥� legal action is Catherine Fitzpatrick, a Second Life real estate dealer who goes by the Second Life name of . She says she regularly receives obscene and racist messages from the Nigras, some of which have led to tenants leaving her properties. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 view Second Life as a fantasy world,鈥� says Fitzpatrick. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking at it as a business.鈥�

That attitude makes some residents anxious. 鈥淭he worry is that legislators will say virtual worlds should be the same as the real world and make very naive laws,鈥� Reynolds says.

It is not only business activities that might bring a legal clampdown to virtual worlds. Second Life has a long tradition of adult users adopting childlike avatars, and sometimes getting their characters to engage in sexual acts with adult avatars. Users have debated whether this amounts to virtual child pornography, but since Second Life is viewed as a fantasy world, and all participants are adults, such behaviour has generally been tolerated. In May, however, a German TV show covered the practice and reported details to the police. Linden Lab subsequently banned two of the residents involved.

Meanwhile gambling, which is illegal in most US states but widespread in Second Life, has also taken a hit. In July, Linden Lab decided to shut down its virtual casinos after receiving a visit from the FBI. Angry users on the firm鈥檚 blog accused the company of eroding the freedom associated with an experience that was, after all, designed to be different from normal life. 鈥淲elcome to Real Life 2,鈥� wrote one user. 鈥淓njoy your stay!鈥�

Will big online worlds like Second Life and WoW survive these legal attacks, perhaps by adopting the protected status that sports enjoy (see 鈥淪porting solution鈥�)? Or will the pressure from commercially minded users eradicate the anything-goes spirit, perhaps allowing smaller and freer worlds to take their place? Read about a host of planned virtual experiences in next week鈥檚 instalment of this New 杏吧原创 report.