Identity Grab: Lacking Official SL-Based ID Authorization, Avatars Go Wild on Avatars United Social Network

There's a Botgirl Linden account on the new Avatars United social network just acquired by Linden Lab, but no, that doesn't mean the well-known metaverse/Web 2.0 blogger Botgirl Questi has joined Linden Lab (as the surname might imply.) However, Botgirl Linden is owned by the person who owns Botgirl Questi -- then again, they explained to me by email, "Botgirl Linden" is Botgirl's avatar name in OpenSim, the open source spinoff of Second Life. So it's a real avatar name, just not in Second Life; and while she chose the Linden name for fun, non-malicious purposes, it seems quite possible for a non-Linden avatar to seem like a Linden avatar on Avatars United for reasons more dubious. (If you're following me so far.)

However, "Botgirl Linden" isn't the only account on Avatars United to have an ambiguous origin.

For as Grace McDunnough points out in a long and important post, the social network has no means of officially connecting the web-based Avatars United account with an actual Second Life avatar. (To be honest, I didn't notice this when I registered my own account, because I entered in my SL info on sign-up, and assumed some kind of web-to-world handshake took place.) The security considerations are obvious. They're so concerning, in fact, that sad to say, it partly impelled well-known Second Life scripter Ordinal Malaprop to quit Second Life.

"I'm guessing they'll eventually require some sort of authentication for AU avatars associated with Second Life accounts," Botgirl Questi tells me. (She has her own thoughts on the network, by the way.) One would hope something is set-up soon -- I'm checking with the Lindens now. Until there is a way to officially confirm Second Life avatars with accounts on Avatars United, however -- avatar beware.

Comments

[Maggie Darwin]

It has passed largely without notice that the AU ToS requires that "complete and accurate information" be used in account creation. But, as usual, Linden-owned enterprises are much, much better at dictating rules than they are at enforcing them.

[Sean McPherson]

They're randomly killing off 'Linden' accounts by hand. I had created "IfOnlyIWereA Linden" as a test, and it survived for a while and then was deleted without even an email being sent to me to tell me. Since I use 'Linden' as a last name for admins on my personal OpenSim grid (Makes it easy for me to know when I'm logged in as 'God'), it seemed reasonable, but alas, no joy. I wouldn't expect that account to last long.

[Loki]

it's almost as if they've integrated Avatar United into the SL family using a bit of sticky tape and bluetack

[Caliburn Susanto]

"Tradition, discipline, and rules must be the tools;
Without them - disorder! Chaos! Anarchy!
In short, we have a ghastly mess!"

--Mr. Banks

[Sidney Smalls]

How could you have noticed that you weren't required to give your SL password or verify by in-world IM or any other means Hamlet? Was there anything you dud that u couldn't have done using your name.

Typical clusterfuck from the Lindens. And actually "sticky tape" us too generous. As far as I can tell there hasn't been a single line of code written to attempt any sort integration whatsoever.

[Sidney Smalls]

Sorry "anything you did that I couldn't have done". Damn iPhone keyboard.

[MSo Lambert]

Just submitted my first Avatars United application for Second Life for review - amongst other things it also allows you to connect and display your Second Life avatar name on your Avatars United profile.

Can serve as some sort of an unofficial "verification" of your SL identity until Linden Lab sorts this out :)

The HUD is available at http://bit.ly/ajzLGR, but until the app is approved, I'll need to add you as a developer if anyone is interested in testing it out.

[Ann Otoole]

SL represented a tiny fraction of that website before LL bought it.

Exactly how is LL going to create a verification system for all those MMOs?

Is LL going to jettison all MMOs except SL and spread that form of PR through the MMO world they are obviously attempting to reach?

And since that website primarily serves me 503 or 504 errors and when it does work the widgets all appear to be only half complete, don't save edits, etc. well I would say they have a lot of rework to do.

Good Luck LL. You'll be needing it with this one.

Could have developed a blog system for profiles in SL with that money.

[Ananda Sandgrain]

You know what, Hamlet? It occurs to me that it's not that big a deal for there to be identity confusion as long as Linden Lab DOESN'T make some sort of hard link between accounts on the two services.

But where things have the potential to really screw up badly is in identity theft once they merge the two systems. I'm surprised I didn't hear more about this with the Xstreet merger, frankly. What, pray tell, happens if someone on AU takes my name and then argues that *they* are the owner of my account and not me? Really the only workable approach I see is to discard AU's nonsense for what it is and make it a one-way link from SL.

People will sort out pretty quickly if their friends are who they say they are, just like they do on every other social network that doesn't make direct links.

[Sidney Smalls]

If there are no "direct links" then buying the site was completely pointless.