Artist Spending Year in Second Life Before Killing Account, Mostly Meeting Avatars With "Social Disorders and Creepy Sexual Vibes"

#secondlife365 65> lifetime ban from @ Blarney Stone Irish Pub 4 using this dildo on the dance floor. pic.twitter.com/un2WO4tKyH

— michaelgreenv6.0 (@metadiamonds) March 6, 2015

#secondlife365 is a Twitter hashtag stream which as the name suggests, is a year of Tweets from Second Life. Brainchild of a Portland conceptual artist (because of course), Michael Green (whose SL name is officialmichaelgreenv6) has some interesting ideas going on (and some obvious and frankly lazy biases). As he tells Good Magazine:

#secondlife365 is an investigation of virtual reality, the ‘self’ and time perception. I chose to work a full year because I am getting older, and am trying to change my perception of how I view time. For me, the project is like a meditation. A way to slow things down a bit, and I perceive time slower as a result. 2015 is taking forever and this is a good thing! Second Life, like real life, is what you do with it, and a year is a long time in there, so my goal is to do what it takes to survive. And there is a little death in there too, because I will deactivate my account on New Year’s Eve, 2015.

But the stream is pretty banal so far, to be honest (but maybe that's supposed to be the point), and shows little interest in moving beyond the more obvious deadzone/consumerist/pornographic/fetish zones that clutter Second Life.

Because I mean, seriously? What's the deal with this statement:

Most avatars I run into have social disorders and creepy sexual vibes. Sometimes herds of them just stand in the same position for indefinite periods of time and say nothing. They are there for apparently no reason.

I don't know, maybe ask them without patronizing or pre-judgement? The great Chinese artist Cao Fei did that way back in 2007, and look what she made.

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Comments

[melponeme_k]

The sex and deviancy stories are starting up again, my dears, because SL is a BIG monolith of competition to the upcoming VRs. Even old as it is, it stands in the way of the new paradigm for VRs that the creators (most disgruntled LL/SL folk) want to push. That paradigm can't be pushed if SL is still in existence.

So we get failure stories, sexual deviancy stories in the tech press and anything else bad to isolate it, then kill it off.

Quite frankly I'm surprised no one has purchased it to kill it.

[Ciaran Laval]

I refrained from posting an article on this project. When I first saw the headlines, I thought it looked interesting. When I scratched beneath the surface, it looked like he was simply trolling.

[UCMO]

"Sometimes herds of them just stand in the same position for indefinite periods of time and say nothing. "

Apparently he is unaware of IM or group chat - sometimes it is the only method people use to communicate.

[Cicadetta Stillwater]

@UCMO: That, or he keeps stumbling into bot farms.

[Connie Arida]

Perhaps it's what you do in SL that says more about you than your supposed "real life".

[Arcadia Codesmith]

Poor Mike. Nobody wants to talk to him and he can't get laid. This is a common problem in the Pacific Northwest, and contributes to a regional glut of hipster wannabe snark.

[Arwyn Quandry]

Why don't we suggest some good places he can visit and see if he does? If he ignores decent suggestions of places to go, he's probably just bent on living the "SL is creepy" circlejerk the media has been going at for 10+ years and isn't worth the time, but there's always the chance he's really lost and doesn't know where quality content is.

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

#haters

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

supposed "real life"? what does that say about you?

[A.J.]

Michael Green doesn't get it and he doesn't want it.

We all know that you can't just stand still and wait for SL to come to you. This is the problem for most people and it's the reason why SL has been so neglected by even the people who are supposed to run it or be experts about it. They want to skim off the cream of money or attention, but they really can't bring themselves to invest in it.

That's why I think an attempt to build a new SL will fail... miserably. The new SL is already here. It's here every day.

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

i am really into it! i love it! the attention will go away in a few days so that is meaningless. a vision comes to my mind and i fill in the blanks. i try everything . this project happened to get press but it could have gotten zero attention as well and it wouldnt matter to me. b4 this article 3 people were following. i still dont think anybody likes the project LOL this article poorly represents what the project is actually about.

[officilmichaelgreenv6]

hey Arwyn, always open to seeing new places! Feel free to link below or msg me in SL:>

[Cicadetta Stillwater]

Mike, if you're on tomorrow evening, I'll have to track you down and invite you to a concert. Seriously.

[officilmichaelgreenv6]

absolutely no problem....i m not going to be around tomorrow evening, but you should contact me so we can work out an arrangement.

[Cicadetta Stillwater]

I'll do that. The live music scene is definitely something you should check out, if you haven't yet, and I'm always happy to help out with that.

[officilmichaelgreenv6]

thank u:> ok I'm leaving now. i wasn't going to comment here, except it really bothers me when a few take things to a personal level

[Amanda Dallin]

You took it to a personal level with, "(m)ost avatars I run into have social disorders and creepy sexual vibes." This says more about you and where you choose to go in SL than it does about people in SL.

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

That is my intention. To explore my dark side. At the time, that was my experience. frankly, I am disturbed by my own behavior in there and it has effected me in RL. I look back and think, why was I behaving like that? do i want to represent myself like this. The project shows reflection, as i actually tried to talk to a therapist in SL (i did not have any linden) Have u ever been to the hub? I spent days there. There is a GIF published above the question that illustrates that comment.

[Amanda Dallin]

After reading the original article and reading the comments there I have to ask. Why is New World Notes promoting trolling and griefing in Second Life?

[Xtina]

To everybody who has ever come in contact with "officialmichaelv6". He publishes chat logs to dropbox and uses twitter to distribute. He has been reported, and will continue to be reported until he is removed.

Beware, not only is he a troll, he will abuse information as well.

[officilmichaelgreenv6]

removed from what? that was wrong what happened. You cannot ban someone from a land if they have not broken any rules. That is why I posted the transcripts. Our conversation was but short. I was respectful to you the entire interview. this is nonsense!

[officilmichaelgreenv6]

#beyondtroll u do not understand my project. lets have a public dialogue right here!

[officilmichaelgreenv6]

read the dropbox that I posted. On the contrary, The owner abused his power!

[Xtina]

You published chat logs to a public forum. That is against ToS.

Your project could've been a good one, if you weren't antagonising people on purpose.

And it wasn't me you spoke to. I just saw your Twitter post and saw you have published somebody's chat log. That is against the Terms of Service and you should get banned for that, regardless of the content of the log and who is right or wrong. You should not publish chat logs.

[officilmichaelgreenv6]

it still can be a good one if i am allowed to do my work...i m way beyond trolling. I have been hanging out with like minded artists this week and I m making connections....

[officilmichaelgreenv6]

that gentlemen jumped to a conclusion with me. i honestly wanted to be a part of the community.

[officilmichaelgreenv6]

ok found this. NOTE: This does not include posting of chat to social media sites or other websites. Posting such logs on web pages, emailing them, or printing them out and posting them on utility poles in the "real world" -- are all actions beyond the scope of the Second Life Terms of Service. ; while that might be illegal, but those laws must be enforced by the proper law enforcement agencies.

[officilmichaelgreenv6]

would you like me to remove it? i would be glad to delete it if this resolves the issue. my project is too important for me to give up over all of these "technicalities"

[officilmichaelgreenv6]

Ok I removed it. Not worth it. Please allow me to do my work.

[Torben]

As a new user of Second Life, this might be exactly what you experience. You are lost in a huge virtual world and it's up to you to find out about what to do with it. In my first weeks I spent quite some time in the homes of random strangers. I didn't understand the concept of private property and while in retrospective I feel kind of bad for invading the privacy of some residents, it still was an adventurous time... The public areas I landed in in the beginning of my SL journey were filled with "interesting" people to say the least and some of them quite frankly were creepy. It took me quite some time and the help of a few nice people I met on the journey to find out what I wanted to do in my SL and where in the virtual world I wanted to be.
I think it's quite ignorant to take it to a personal level and while from my perspective I can't agree with some of what Michael Green says, I do believe he is on a interesting journey worth following. For Linden Lab this could be a learning experience - when you look at new user retention or better the lack thereof, Michael Green describes why...

[TribeGadgets]

I dunno - the idea of knocking up a primmy "Balloon *green default texture* Doggy Deflated" has some appeal. Plus the guy thinks people want iphones embedded in their skulls - an urge I often feel. And I look forward to the thinner models as it makes it easier to do with just one blow.
More interesting bit of fluff than following the edu thing anyway =^^=

[Wagner James Au]

"You published chat logs to a public forum. That is against ToS."

That's not right, far as I can tell -- ToS used to forbid sharing private chat logs in Second Life or Linden-owned sites (but didn't mention non-SL sites.) However, on a quick glance, that clause is not even in the ToS anymore. Can you find and cite it?

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

If we can confirm that I am protected and safe, I will re~release the chat log. It is apparent that I have people after me, and would do anything possible to get rid of me.

[2Degree Cryotank]

@Hamlet, it's in the Community Standards:Disclosure, Number 4 of "the 'Big Six', that will result in suspension or, with repeated violations, expulsion from the Second Life Community."

Here's the text: 'Remotely monitoring conversations in Second Life, posting conversation logs, or sharing conversation logs without the participants' consent are all prohibited.'

It would be appropriate and respectful for Michael Green to research SL's community standards as part of his preparation for the project. You've been around since the early days, you know how SL residents value their Privacy...

[Wagner James Au]

That's right, it's in the Community Standards, not ToS. And like I said, here's where they apply: "All Second Life Community Standards apply to all areas of Second Life, the Second Life Forums, and the Second Life Website."

https://secondlife.com/corporate/cs.php

So not Twitter, or a third party blog, etc.

That said, it's very good form, good sense, and good karma to get consent whenever possible.

[Xtina]

"If we can confirm that I am protected and safe, I will re~release the chat log. It is apparent that I have people after me, and would do anything possible to get rid of me. "

Once again proving that you are simply a troll.

Nobody is after you. Come to think of it, that thing on your avatar's head does remind me of a tinfoil helmet to stop the satellites from reading your mind.

I have notified some large groups in world of your log publishing activities and many users have already added you to their block list.

Stop being a jerk, make your AV look like it doesn't have a foil mushroom growing out of it, and maybe people will start to take you seriously.

[2Degree Cryotank]

Hi Wagner, I too was attempting to point Michael in the right direction.

That's an interesting interpretation of the Community Standards text that didn't occur to me - I would read the quote of "posting conversation logs, or sharing conversation logs without the participants' consent are all prohibited." as applying to Content from those places you mentioned being posted/shared to exactly such destinations as blogs or twitter. These would have been where one would 'post' such chat logs around the time the CS were written so would be a natural interpretation (to me, at least ;-) ).

Interesting to see how this pans out. I'd just suggest to Michael he take it easy initially with the social and sharing side to allow for the fact that many SL residents have real needs for privacy and many others have expectations of privacy that are quite different to those in social media.

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

I want to get this information to the public. That is my focus here. I took it off because there was a threat to ban me. I am looking at what is within my rights. What if I were to remove the name from the chat log, and not reveal the location? Is that an invasion of privacy. We are having an adult conversation here. Trying to figure out TOS rules. Please refrain from making insults. Thank you.

[Xtina]

@michael

I will continue to spread your name as a publisher of logs, whether or not you amend them. People will not want to talk to you out of fear of your disrespect of privacy. If you want to do a project on Second Life, you need to be respectful of the etiquette, otherwise you are just another griefer and will be treated as such.

You are now stating you will amend the logs as well, what on earth is your point? You think you were done a mis-justice; you were banned from a sim in order to protect the residents privacy.

Your actions on social media are proof that it was a good decision to do so.

[Cicadetta Stillwater]

Michael, whatever else you decide to do, letting people know up front whether or not you're on the "clock" is something you really should continue to do. It's a great practice. People *are* aware of you at this point, and the grid is very small in some ways. News travels fast.

Because you are performing an essentially public art project, the expectation for you to respect privacy is arguably that much greater.

PS, check your received items folder when you get a chance!

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

so can i post the chat logs? I personally want to share it with "MY" audience. I honestly want to know.

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

I want to expose how a small demographic of Second Life are targeting me. You just said it.

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

thank u Cicadetta. I thought it was appropriate to tell you in that circumstance. I have been snapping photos everyday, and actually only a handful of people complained. But lately, in private situations , I have been telling people that I would be taking photographs. Honestly, before this discussion, I never even considered people would need privacy in Second Life because it is virtual reality, and no matter what photo you would take, it would always look funny. I understand privacy in virtual worlds are an issue. I am interested in exploring this subject matter, and having a discussion. We have two opposing view points in this comment section. I want as much discussion as possible so we can learn something from this. I am also available in Second Life if you want to talk about this, or try to get to know each other. doors open.

[Xtina]

You're not being targeted. I couldn't give a damn about you, and other people don't either.

I want to expose to MY community that YOU abuse privacy, and have no respect; all for your personal gain on your trolling 'project'.

I had changed my mind when you posted an apology about posting the log, and wasn't going to pursue any further. You obviously didn't mean any of it, enforcing the lack of trust people should pay to you.

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

Do what you need to do. Im asking questions here. i want a discussion. there will be a time in the distant future when emotions are settled down and we can make sense of what happened here.

[Cicadetta Stillwater]

You're welcome, Michael. As far as screenshots go, always check the covenant of the sim you're in. This is in land information. If snapshots aren't addressed, click away. If they are, comply with the terms of the covenant. Ask permission before naming avatars within the snapshots.

One of the people we met up with yesterday did recognize you, and didn't want to see himself on your Twitter feed. I reassured him that you were off the clock. Nobody else seemed at all concerned. :p

If you want to take machinima, just ask for permission from the sim owner first. It's just easier that way. See also: http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Snapshot_and_machinima_policy

If you really must post a chat log, again, ask permission first. Ask whether or not you should redact avatar and/or location names. Go above and beyond what the expectations for privacy are at this point. For further reading: http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Residents'_privacy_rights

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

ps thanx for the new hair!

[Cicadetta Stillwater]

Welcome! Hope it works for you. I was trying to find a good match for your Twitter pic...

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

So I did the research myself and can confirm that I am allowed to post the chatlog and his identity if I wish. The only consequences would be with the individual I am targetting. So I would say that your "reports" to Linden Labs will be effective. How I behave in SL is none of your business, unless if we have a direct comfoict in SL. It is unlikely that I will repost the chat log because I am being wayched on twitter by the person I am targetting, and he serms like one of those "technicals" who will do everything posdible to get me reported. Please stay out of my business and I will stay out of yours...

[Yordie Sands]

I saw this article also. I think it's just a story designed to draw people in for comments and signup on some pathetic websites. I'm with you on the "social disorders and creepy sexual" comment. The guys must have spent his year creeping around SL's ugly underbelly. heh. *cheers* Yordie

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

correction: last post should read~ So I would say that your "reports" to Linden Labs will NOT be effective oops haha

[officialmichaelgreenv6]

to the editor, i apologized to blarney stone irish pub https://twitter.com/metadiamonds/status/580137156020080640/photo/1