LOSING KIN

Iris Ophelia

Beginning with a reference to a Mao biography and 1984, SL blogger and Metaverse Messenger contributor Iris Ophelia has concentrated her ire on the apparent banning of Kin Keiko, a leading hair designer:  Rage, Ophelia.  It's arguably overwrought, but Kin's account troubles with Linden Lab have ripped through the SL blogosphere, even inspiring Neil and Nephilaine Protagonist, the husband and wife team who are among the world's most established and respected developers, to close down their anime-themed Nakama island, for a day of protest-- no small step. 

I just contacted and received Linden Lab's side of the matter, while also following up with Iris, to get an update-- read after the break.

"The [Kin Keiko] account appears to be closely associated with a series of account that were previously expelled from Second Life for behavior and fraud," Linden Lab Director of Community Services Daniel Linden tells me by e-mail. "Our staff are reviewing that association, and will return the account to  active status if assertions about the account's use and ownership can be verified.  I expect and hope that this can be cleared up quickly; it sounds as though Kin Keiko is a popular member of the Community, but it is beholden upon us to ensure that individual who have been expelled from Second Life remain expelled."

"I interviewed Kin last night myself for the Metaverse Messenger," Ophelia e-mails me.  "It seems [Linden Lab] have decided to pay her, at least, but she is still completely IP-banned, a surprisingly harsh move that they seem to reserve for their worst offenders."  In the interim, a petition drive has been launched by Dazzo Street, and fellow fashionista Elka Lehane has created a "Bring back Kin" T-shirt.

"Her and Kin were not that close," Iris Ophelia adds, "but had talked a lot, and she admitted when she found out about Kin being completely wiped from SL, she cried."

During Ophelia's interview, "Kin also cried, but she cried when she heard about everything that was being done, and that she wasn't being quietly forgotten."

SLCC '06 is sure going to be interesting.

Comments

[Iris Ophelia]

I should add that Toni was spearheading that interview and I was with her as a sidekick really, not just "myself". ^^; Props to the ire of the whole community.

[elka Lehane]

I am really a BIG militant for Kin's return. Even if Linden Lab gave more plausible explanations about her IP ban (read SecondStyle's blog for more info), and also sent her a check, I really believe such fuss was not necessary. Oh and, my name is elka, not Elka by the way! Haha! :P Anyways, I am really happy this story gets on such a popular blog, the more people that know about this, the less bad endings. When you get informed you can play accordingly, right? I would also like to add an important point, that Dazzo Street, her inworld boyfriend, pointed out earlier and that really makes sens: the fight we are fighting right now will go far beyond Kin's un-banning. See, the method they used to ban her is because *they had her credit card information*. Lately, as well all know, LL decided NOT to ask for CC anymore. Wich means, this sanction could NOT be applied to all those new players (and lord know a bunch of them are alts/griefers, right?) That doesn't make a lot of sens to us, and LL will need to explain in a near future...

[Member of the community]

Well if she did do something in relation to fraud... I hate how all the creators all suck up to each other and fight, but the consumers mean jack to everyone. Like if I got banned for the reasons Kin did, people would say good riddence, don't let the door hit me and all that kind of stuff just because I don't make anything or am not known. I think it's unfair the special treatment people get in SL and how people who pay for other peoples work, are brushed under the rug as nobodies.

[OneBigRiver Stork]

"Member": I understand your frustration, but think of it this way ... what is really needed is a change of the rules, and an increase in the Lindens' ability to correctly analyze disciplinary situations. These "test cases" involving well-known people tend to have an effect, in that they set precedents.

For example, a place where I lived had a habit of giving out fraudulent parking tickets ... ticketing people for parking in spaces that were deliberately left ambigiuous year after year. Because I have a PhD from Princeton, and "Dr." in front of my name, I was able to get my ticket overturned. This lead to at least two other tickets being overturned that had previously been upheld.

It isn't fair that I got special treatment. But, later on, other people got the same treatment I got: I was no longer special, just first.

[Stumbleblow]

What a joke. Because someone is a content creator, they are exempted from the fact that they are apparently a griefer on the sly?

"Oh, if only you know Kin Keiko like we do..."

Bullshit. None of you know Kin Keiko. Or at least almost none of you do. Perhaps her imaginary "evil twin brother" knows her. You suckas know some pixels on a screen. And you're unable to deal with the likelihood that behind those pixels is another fraudster, another griefer, in addition to the pleasant little angel you've all associated with this avatar.

Thank god you bunch of saps are getting your little forums deleted, at least you'll have to go elsewhere to gin up your outrage engines.

[Kittenanne Mousehold]

I think the biggest problem with this whole mess is that other users have gone on to make one account after another and never getting an IP Ban. I know of one jerk that made numerous accounts using the same profile picture!

So the reasoning that the IP had numerous accounts banned doesn't hold up for me. They really should have seen the IP/account info when she created the account and then question it.

Linden Labs needs to create a better way of handling situations like this one. :(

[Player from Combat Sim -R-]

I've never been treated different in all the years I've played by the all high and mighty content creators. They are all texture and idea rippers anyway. Most of the big creators photosource or get content from a specific site related to poser.

And griefing in game is one thing but fraud that is a totally different level, and if this person committed fraud they should be banned. I'd like to know though what Linden is considering fraud, they might be too harsh or something. My bet is Kin is underage, because a couple players I knew in game, that none of these big time creators are shutting their nerd view of a culture sim down for, are now also banned for being underage. What about all them? Why don't they get special treatment or recognition for being "wrongfully" banned? Why not a big parade for all them, why just this one person? Because Kin made 20 hairstyles a week and most resembled one another and slapped a boring texture on it, I'm positive she didn't create, she's more important than the consumers. We don't need the creators they need us, that's why the spend their lives ripping away textures and ideas from better sources, to sell. Then they post they got a new graphics tablet, or a new pc, or some crap they got from all the money they made off us.

As for the griefing, I've seen Kin grief, who hasn't? She's not known though. I only know her because I once reported her for attacking me for no reason when I was walking around a certain sim because she thought I was a certain member of that sim's community, which I wasn't. I was just shopping there.

Ah well, though my post is going to come off wrong to most, cause it seems the same 20 idiots that create content post on these blogs only (although no one above me has yet), I really just am curious what this fraud is Kin was banned for and if it was too harsh or not.

[elka]

As polite as usual, Stumbleblow! You need to spread your nastyness in every blog, don't you? No wonder there is no avatar of that name in SL, you'd get lynched... Anyways, 3 words for you and in fact for everyone: SHE IS BACK! And no it was NOT some special treatment, all that time the Lindens were INVESTIGATING the story. They THOUGHT she MIGHT have been associated with fraudulant accounts in the past... Never was it mentionned it was a fact or anything. That was all and it seems to be resolved now. I guess. Yet have to see her log in!! *crosses fingers* :)

[Hamlet Au]

I had to delete a personal attack. If you're writing a comment and you're not sure it's a fair criticism stating a valid disagreement or if it's simply a vituperative slam, just don't post it, please.

[csven]

When I first heard of this, my first thought was that an ex-griefer realized they were squandering an opportunity to make some real money; that they were effectively being haunted by their poor reputation. Consequently, as I have an interest in reputation systems, this story and that possibility have piqued my curiousity.

As harsh as it might sound, Stumbleblow has a valid point. What does anyone actually know about the person or persons involved?

[Dude from Amsterdam]

Well this person has attacked our sim before for some reason, with friends of hers. I know at least roughly 15 other people besides myself reported it. Nothing ever came of that. I guess it's cool for people to shoot other players and not get punished. I thought at first Kin was punished as it seems she's done it in many places. but nope.