Photos from the ELVEN Institute's Griefing and Harassment Workshop, led by Zotarah Shepherd (with support from Bill Friis and Pennie Venkman) and held on January 19, 2008, have been posted to my Flickr account, here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/craigcunningham/sets/72157603852292402/
The photos were taken by Avigail Lindman. Thanks Avigail!
The workshop was a great success, despite some rolling restarts, which included the region Zotarah used for a field trip with the participants. I wasn't there (had to teach in First Life), but according to a detailed report from Bill Friis, this is a summary of what happened:
- --- Pre- Workshop Chatter ---
- ---- The Workshop Begins and Bronte Alcott Speaks ---
- --- Zotarah Shepherd Takes Over - Griefing Intro ---
- --- Bill Friis Does His Part - Land Settings ---
- --- Handing Out Handouts ---
- --- Zotarah Again - Brief Particle Grief ---
- --- Teleport to Elf Harbour or The Cat Herder's Nightmare ---
- --- Pammie Venkman Tells Us the Right Way to Deal with Grief ---
- --- Pammie Gets Violent and Everybody Loves It ---
- --- Pammie and Zotarah Conclude, Thanks All Around ---
Pammie gave a great talk with advice from real experience (she trains the Guardians for ElvenGlen Fort, who are sim administrators, greeters and protectors. It is non-gorean, elven fantasy roleplay group. Among her advice:
- always approach griefer initially in IM to avoid a "safe face" situation
- be polite but firm
- always provide them with a notecard containing the rules of Second Life or of the region (see below)
- don't laugh at a griefer or rule-breaker
- take a snapshot with User Interface showing (so you have evidence and names for Linden Labs report)
- send abuse report using menu choice under "help" menu
- to get out of a cage, rez a wooden block (outside the cage and sit on it
SL Warning Notice
WARNING! YOU ARE IN VIOLATION OF SECOND LIFE COMMUNITY STANDARDS
UNAUTHORIZED ATTACK AGAINST OTHER PLAYERS DETECTED.
NOTE: Your activities are against Second Life Community Standards and can result in temporary suspension or recending of your Second Life membership!
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CLOSELY AND COMPLY WITH SECOND LIFE OPERATIONAL STANDARDS:
The goals of the Community Standards are simple: treat each other with respect and without harassment, adhere to local standards as indicated by simulator ratings, and refrain from any hate activity which slurs a real-world individual or real-world community. Behavioral Guidelines - The "Big Six"
Within Second Life, we want to support Residents in shaping their specific experiences and making their own choices.
The Community Standards sets out six behaviors, the "Big Six", that will result in suspension or, with repeated violations, expulsion from the Second Life Community.
All Second Life Community Standards apply to all areas of Second Life, the Second Life Forums, and the Second Life Website.
Intolerance
Combating intolerance is a cornerstone of Second Life's Community Standards. Actions that marginalize, belittle, or defame individuals or groups inhibit the satisfying exchange of ideas and diminish the Second Life community as whole. The use of derogatory or demeaning language or images in reference to another Resident's race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or sexual orientation is never allowed in Second Life.
Harassment
Given the myriad capabilities of Second Life, harassment can take many forms. Communicating or behaving in a manner which is offensively coarse, intimidating or threatening, constitutes unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors, or is otherwise likely to cause annoyance or alarm is Harassment.
Assault
Most areas in Second Life are identified as Safe. Assault in Second Life means: shooting, pushing, or shoving another Resident in a Safe Area (see Global Standards below); creating or using scripted objects which singularly or persistently target another Resident in a manner which prevents their enjoyment of Second Life.
Disclosure
Residents are entitled to a reasonable level of privacy with regard to their Second Lives. Sharing personal information about a fellow Resident --including gender, religion, age, marital status, race, sexual preference, and real-world location beyond what is provided by the Resident in the First Life page of their Resident profile is a violation of that Resident's privacy. Remotely monitoring conversations, posting conversation logs, or sharing conversation logs without consent are all prohibited in Second Life and on the Second Life Forums.
Indecency
Second Life is an adult community, but Mature material is not necessarily appropriate in all areas (see Global Standards below). Content, communication, or behavior which involves intense strong language or expletives, nudity or sexual content, the depiction of sex or strong violence, or anything else broadly offensive must be contained within private land in areas rated Mature (M). Names of Residents, objects, places and groups are broadly viewable in Second Life directories and on the Second Life website, and must adhere to PG guidelines.
Disturbing the Peace
Every Resident has a right to live their Second Life. Disrupting scheduled events, repeated transmission of undesired advertising content, the use of repetitive sounds, following or self-spawning items, or other objects that intentionally slow server performance or inhibit another Resident's ability to enjoy Second Life are examples of Disturbing the Peace. Policies and Policing
Global Standards, Local Ratings
All areas of Second Life, including the www.secondlife.com website and the Second Life Forums, adhere to the same Community Standards. Locations within Second Life are noted as Safe or Unsafe and rated Mature (M) or non-Mature (PG), and behavior must conform to the local ratings. Any unrated area of Second Life or the Second Life website should be considered non-Mature (PG).
Warning, Suspension, Banishment
Second Life is a complex society, and it can take some time for new Residents to gain a full understanding of local customs and mores. Generally, violations of the Community Standards will first result in a Warning, followed by Suspension and eventual Banishment from Second Life. In-World Representatives, called Liaisons, may occasionally address disciplinary problems with a temporary removal from Second Life.
Global Attacks
Community Standards violations which broadly interfere with or disrupt the Second Life community, the Second Life servers or other systems related to Second Life cannot be tolerated in any form. Such actions will result in a minimum two-week suspension and a review of your account for probable removal from Second Life.
Alternate Accounts
While Residents may choose to play Second Life with more than one account, specifically or consistently using an alternate account to harass other Residents or violate the Community Standards is not acceptable. Alternate accounts are generally treated as separate from a Resident's principal account, but misuse of alternate accounts can and will result in disciplinary action on the principal account.
Buyer Beware
Linden Lab does not exercise editorial control over the content of Second Life, and will make no specific efforts to review the textures, objects, sounds or other content created within Second Life. Additionally, Linden Lab does not certify or endorse the operation of in-world games, vending machines, or retail locations; refunds must be requested from the owners of these objects.
Reporting Abuse
Residents should report violations of the Community Standards using the Abuse Reporter tool located under the Help menu in the in-world tool bar. Every Abuse Report is individually investigated, and the identity of the reporter is kept strictly confidential. If you need immediate assistance, in-world Liaisons may be available to help. Look for Residents with the last name Linden.
Please enjoy your Second Life game by playing in a manner that is in accord with Community Standards and not detrimental to the enjoyment of other players.
Thank you for your attention to these matters.
