Second Life "Tolerance"?

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Ever since I got an Internet connection fast enough to run Second Life, I have been wanting to give the experience a try. However, during the sign-up process I was turned off by the first item in the Community Standards document. Apparently, a member's account will be suspended if he commits one of six types of behaviors. Here is a quote from the document at http://secondlife.com/corporate/cs.php:

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.

1. 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.

Anyone is free to challenge my interpretation of these statements, but this is how I read it: Basically, within the Second Life universe, saying anything which puts another member's race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or sexual orientation in a negative light is considered grounds for the suspension of my right to use the service.

I guess free speech isn't much of a priority in the Second Life universe. For how would I be able to express, for example, my opinions regarding religion, creationism, and sexual practices if these opinions are offensive to the opinions and practices of others?

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This page contains a single entry by Christopher Howard published on March 5, 2009 8:46 PM.

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