OpenSim Grids Beset by World-Spanning Content Infringement, HGB Reports

In-depth report by Hybergrid Business' David Kariuki strongly suggests that content infringement is such a rampant problem in worlds based on OpenSim, the open source version of Second Life, that it's demoralized and drained the creator community uploading their own content there:

In most cases, creators do not like to engage in this time consuming and cost prohibitive activity of chasing grids. Some do not feel that it is necessary to pursue cases on the matter at all.

“I have been creating since 2005 in Second Life and since 2007 in OpenSim,” said Kelly. “I just don’t believe in lawsuits for trivial things and I would never go to the trouble to file one for my own intellectual property.”

Many OpenSim users have individually also been vocal on social media and here about illegal redistribution of creators’ content, from Moonrise Azalee to Zangrid’s Suzan Mönnink to VirTec’s Virtouse Lilienthal to Candi Collins of Genesis Metaverse to creators such as Noxluna Nightfire. The list is endless at OpenSim Virtual, OpenSim Everything and other OpenSim forums.

The post's long and passionate reader comment thread (99 comments at this writing!) affirms what a pervasive problem it is. Some suggest having a grid-spanning "neighborhood watch", which also raises the specter of vigilantism. Frankly the underlying problem seems to be deeper:

The open source nature of OpenSim itself, at least how it's managed (or not) here. With no central depository or corporate/non-profit body managing and policing a marketplace and DMCA process, most anyone with minimal skills can rip just about anything. (And Second Life content creators who complain about Linden Lab's management of IP rights might wanna check out this post and do a compare and contrast.)

Comments

[Chic Aeon]

Theft in Opensim is not news for anyone who has been in loosely allianced grids for any length of time. Creators come in, many with stars in their eyes about profits because of course the costs are almost nothing compared to Second Life. No upload costs at all. What a deal!

And it is a great deal if you are a creative type that likes to learn and grow and SHARE, because you absolutely share in OS -- if you sell across grids. I left Opensim a few months ago, but not because of the theft. I am sure some of my products are floating around the metaverse as Take a Copy. I chose not to dwell on that and just enjoyed my time there. But knowing that nothing was the least bit safe likely pushed me out the door a bit faster.

Most folks in OS are honest, just like in Second Life. Some are not. It is just that with "god powers" on grids run by individuals, it is childsplay to steal, wiping the creator's name from the product and replacing it with their own or a code name designation.

It is good for the folks in SL to see this post. I wrote about the subject right after the rates when up for creator's cashing out. It only took a heartbeat before the "flee to Opensim" mentality took over -- not with everyone of course but with some.

The problem is that most folks heading away from the corporate run platform to FREE-DOM, don't do their homework. I hope that enough gets said so that the possible refugees are a bit more informed than in past exoduses, at least before making any long term moving decisions.

[cyberserenity]

And thats why my Opensim stuff is free.

[Masami Kuramoto]

The open source nature of OpenSim itself, at least how it's managed (or not) here. With no central depository or corporate/non-profit body managing and policing a marketplace and DMCA process, most anyone with minimal skills can rip just about anything. (And Second Life content creators who complain about Linden Lab's management of IP rights might wanna check out this post and do a compare and contrast.)

You got that wrong, Hamlet. The content wasn't ripped from OpenSim but from Second Life, and its managing corporate body Linden Lab did nothing to prevent it.

[Hyacinth Landry]

I run an OpenSim grid, and I actually do care and spend a great deal of time trying to sort out what is legit, and what is not. No one likes confrontation. But I think what would be enormously helpful is if SL creators DID assert themselves, visited our grids and told us.. HEY! That's my stuff! It's not supposed to be here, take it down now please.

I actually do welcome that on my grid, because I have a bunch of stuff that has been kicking around Opensim for a long time, no idea where it came from. The things I do have luck researching, and take the time to be conscientious and track down the content creators for clarification or permission... I almost never get a reply. I have had a few responses and so far they have all been positive and encouraging. There are a lot of SL creators who have left, for whatever reason, and have legitimately brought their content to OpenSim.

I know a lot of people don't care. But I do. I left several thousand $USD worth of inventory in SL years ago, with not even so much as the shirt on my back. I'm pretty proud to have created so much of my own stuff from nothing, or from things legitimately, freely given and shared.

I think that moving forward, there needs to be more engagement. You are really relying on a closed system to enforce a few permission bits, and once it gets smuggled out of that system, you have lost all control pretty much unless you assert yourself. (or answer an IM about your product?) Honestly, the #1 thing I see getting ripped off from SL these days are the really complex mesh avatars, and I'd be really happy to see those go bye bye. So please. Go serve some papers. :)