"Imagine discovering a continent so vast that it may have no other side. Imagine a new world with more resources than all our future greed might exhaust, more opportunities than there will ever be entrepreneurs enough to exploit, and a peculiar kind of real estate which expands with development."
- John Perry Barlow (poet, essayist and author of A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace), 1981.
Imagine that within that new continent there were sites that provided downloadable 'massively multiplayer online games' (MMOGs), software that allowed users to create their own continents, and you basically have an Inception-style digital mindblow. The virtual reality game Second Life is probably the most widely recognized brand of this particular software. In Code 2.0 Lawrence Lessig discusses Second Life (Four Puzzles From Cyberspace) suggesting that there are one set of norms for real space and another set of norms for MMOG cyberspace. While this may be true, real world users tend to react to cyberspace conflict operating out of their real space norms. For example, crimes in cyberspace being punishable in real space. In Nov 2008, The Telegraph (UK) ran a story on Second Life Adultery focusing on two cases where a partner cheating in cyberspace had life changing results in real time. MMOGs give users the freedom and anonymity to engage in behaviors or act out fantasies that they may not be comfortable with doing in real space but doing so is not without consequences.
Red Light Centre is one MMOG that encourages users to engage in adults only fun. Just as its name implies, Red Light Centre is an online red light district-type virtual world centred around interacting with other 'open-minded' users in an adults only, fulfil your fantasy environment.
It's not hard to imagine the real world implications for spouses found to be using this site. The BBC even has a documentary focused on the consequences of virtual world adultery. Second life and Red Light Centre are just two examples of MMOG that facilitate these behaviours but there are many, many others.
Keneva is like a smaller version of Second Life with a similar focus on user interaction but within a shopping and entertainment focused atmosphere. With the familiar in-no-way-true-to-life virtual avatars, an emphasis on shopping and a name that contains "Ken" it has an eerie Mattel feel.
Red Light Centre is one MMOG that encourages users to engage in adults only fun. Just as its name implies, Red Light Centre is an online red light district-type virtual world centred around interacting with other 'open-minded' users in an adults only, fulfil your fantasy environment.
The Red Light Centre Website.
It's not hard to imagine the real world implications for spouses found to be using this site. The BBC even has a documentary focused on the consequences of virtual world adultery. Second life and Red Light Centre are just two examples of MMOG that facilitate these behaviours but there are many, many others.
Keneva is like a smaller version of Second Life with a similar focus on user interaction but within a shopping and entertainment focused atmosphere. With the familiar in-no-way-true-to-life virtual avatars, an emphasis on shopping and a name that contains "Ken" it has an eerie Mattel feel.
An example of the avatars on offer at Keneva.
This brings us to the world of MMOG business. Many businesses and public figures are taking advantage of the popularity of platforms like Second Life and Keneva to promote their agendas.
Brands engage in product placement just as they would in real space, politicians are engaging in online PR campaigns and with an endless continent and billions of potental buyers, the real estate sector is booming.
Marketing companies are now releasing guides for businesses and individuals wishing to buy and sell real estate in the virtual world. All in all these factors make virtual worlds a little more real world than you'd expect and prove even your ultimate fantasy universe can't escape the reach of big business.
Song BMG in Second Life
Brands engage in product placement just as they would in real space, politicians are engaging in online PR campaigns and with an endless continent and billions of potental buyers, the real estate sector is booming.
Obama campaigning in Second Life.
Marketing companies are now releasing guides for businesses and individuals wishing to buy and sell real estate in the virtual world. All in all these factors make virtual worlds a little more real world than you'd expect and prove even your ultimate fantasy universe can't escape the reach of big business.
Click on the links below for more interesting articles:
Japanese Politician risks Wrath of Government over Second Life Campaign.
There.com (MMOG)
The Metaverse Journal: Virtual Worlds in the News
I think MMOGs are a move evolved version of chat rooms, however it is true that the ethical and social grey areas have become magnified because of the advance in technology. In the case of adultery, just because visually you're interacting with a cartoon, verbally, you're forming a relationship with a real human being. Although, having never Second Life'd myself, and with no desire to, I can't really relate to the emotional roller coaster it causes for some
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the previous comment. I think MMOG's have evolved much further than chat rooms - I mean, in SecondLife people can sell virtual property as a form of in-game marketing. You would also never see an Obama campaign in a public chat room.
ReplyDeleteNice blog post, I really like the additional pictures along with relevant points. I myself have seen a lot of the documentaries (on SBS) about in-game adultery consequences, and its actually pretty scary how far people go when they hide behind an online avatar.
Having never used SecondLife or even the simplest game such as Sims . . i dont really have a leg to stand on in regards to how to react in terms of how MMOG's have evolved . . . but i think they have in the way you can become a completely different person and creating your own avatar which i think is genius.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog very interesting and i gotta learn how to add pics to my blog to nice work
I have never used Second Life in my first life but I have been on World of Warcraft. It's interesting to think that my decisions made in game could have real life implications. Depending on what I do of course. I know WOW has serious in game consequences for things like abuse, I wonder what other sites will make unruly in the future. Or even scarier what countries could impose.
ReplyDeleteYer, the online world seems to suggest somehow 'no consequences, no responsibility' or something. It's interesting what we will do when we think that no-one will know or no-one is watching. It shows how ethics, conformity and wanting acceptance restrains us in offline life. What would we all be really like without these constraints I wonder? In the real world do we really unselfishly feel compelled to be kind to others or are we just worried about the consequences of being obviously self indulgent?
ReplyDeleteOnline adultery is an interesting topic! Really interesting post.
Cheers, Jo
Its crazy how marketers for big organisations and politicians have infiltrated MMOG's like second life. Considering the amount of users these platforms have its not hard to see why marketers have moved in this direction.
ReplyDeleteMaybe its just me, but cheating on your partner in second life shouldn't have the same effects as in real life. Yes, if i got caught cheating on a girl with an avatar she would probably leave me but it wouldnt be because i cheated on her; it would be because she thinks im a loser. Thats just me.
Great post! Online adultery would be a very interesting research topic.
ReplyDeleteWhen you brought up the Red Light Centre MMOG I thought of the dating website Ashley Madison. It is a dating website where people who want to cheat on their spouse or whatnot go to. Everyone is open that they are cheating. It is like taking the virtual adultery to another level, you are actually doing it by meeting people online.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your post, though I must admit I wasn't aware of adultery in second life and the politician pr campaigns but I am now. As much as I'm all for future of technology and gaming, that whole second life and real estate online just seems absurd to me, and to be quite honest I find it far too weird in my opinion to be living a life online to that extent, when it comes to business and work.
ReplyDelete