{"id":6706,"date":"2022-02-09T06:13:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-09T14:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/?p=6706"},"modified":"2022-02-07T18:14:45","modified_gmt":"2022-02-08T02:14:45","slug":"virtualworlds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/2022\/02\/virtualworlds\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook, Meta, Virtual Worlds &#8211; Benefits? Risks? Does Second Life offer lessons?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_meeting.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"509\" src=\"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_meeting.png\" alt=\"a screen capture of a webinar that took place in Second Life, an avatar-based virtual world. \" class=\"wp-image-6709\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_meeting.png 960w, https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_meeting-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_meeting-768x407.png 768w, https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_meeting-624x331.png 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>An online multimedia platform that allows people to create an avatar for themselves and \u201clive\u201d in an online virtual world. Avatars interact with places, objects and other avatars, exploring the virtual world, meeting other residents, socializing, having business meetings, hosting events, participating in group activities, building, creating, shopping, collaborating, even trading virtual property and services with one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark Zuckerberg\u2019s Metaverse? No! I\u2019m talking about&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/secondlife.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Second Life<\/a>, which launched back in 2003. The image at the top of this blog, and the image below, are of me, as an avatar, leading an event in Second Life for TechSoup back in 2014: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_smaller.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"874\" height=\"463\" src=\"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_smaller.png\" alt=\"An image of Jayne Cravens as an avatar in front of a giant silde from her event within Second Life. \" class=\"wp-image-6708\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_smaller.png 874w, https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_smaller-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_smaller-768x407.png 768w, https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/secondlife_feb2014_smaller-624x331.png 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 874px) 100vw, 874px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>TechSoup was an early and passionate adopter of Second Life, hosting numerous online events there. If you do a search for&nbsp;<em><strong>Second Life<\/strong><\/em>&nbsp;on <a href=\"https:\/\/forums.techsoup.org\/\">the TechSoup forum<\/a>, you would find numerous references to the platform and TechSoup activities there over the years.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook (now Meta), said to much fanfare that he wanted to launch his own metaverse. The new virtual-reality app Horizon Worlds is Facebook\u2019s first foray into the much-hyped \u201cmetaverse\u201d for Facebook parent company Meta. Horizon Worlds, a beta version of which featured prominently in Zuckerberg\u2019s announcement, launched Dec. 9 in the United States and Canada on the company\u2019s Oculus virtual-reality platform and represents its first major attempt to deliver on his vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Were you on Second Life? Are you still on Second Life? Did you participate in TechSoup\u2019s events on Second Life, or any other nonprofit-related activities? What do you think emerging virtual worlds, including Meta\u2019s projects, can learn from Second Life?<\/strong> Comment below! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article from&nbsp;<em>The Duke Law Journal<\/em>,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/40040654\" target=\"_blank\">The Development and Failure of Social Norms in Second Life<\/a>, seems like something that the Meta folks should read. Its conclusion about Second Life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Second Life is so thoroughly steeped in conditions that have impeded the development of successful social norms in other communities that any system of social norms in Second Life will ultimately fail. Because social norms will likely fail to successfully maximize resident welfare, regulatory schemes imposed both by the operators of the virtual world and by real-world governing institutions are needed to enhance the functioning of this particular alternative reality inhabited by millions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Do you think Meta\u2019s virtual world is addressing this issue? Do you think they need to plan for how to address such?<\/strong> <strong>And are you worried about safety at all with any online platforms?<\/strong> Comment below! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nina Jane Patel was targeted with sexual harassment in Facebook\/Meta\u2019s platforms. &#8220;Within 60 seconds of joining \u2014 I was verbally &amp; sexually harassed \u2014 3\u20134 male avatars, with male voices, essentially, but virtually gang-raped my avatar &amp; took photos\u2026\u201d The 43-year-old mother said it was such a \u201chorrible experience that happened so fast\u201d before she even had a chance to think about using \u201cthe safety barrier,\u201d adding that she \u201cfroze.\u201d She continued by confessing how both her \u201cphysiological and psychological\u201d reaction was similar to it happening in real life. \u201cVirtual reality has essentially been designed so the mind and body can\u2019t differentiate virtual\/digital experiences from real,\u201d&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/kabuni\/fiction-vs-non-fiction-98aa0098f3b0\" target=\"_blank\">Patel wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is similar to assaults that happened in Second LIfe. Examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"http:\/\/virtuallyblind.com\/2007\/04\/24\/open-roundtable-allegations-of-virtual-rape-bring-belgian-police-to-second-life\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cVirtual Rape\u201d Claim Brings Belgian Police to Second Life, April 24th, 2007<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidehighered.com\/views\/2010\/02\/25\/avatar-rape\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AvatarRape: Colleges need to recognize that their students are being harassed in virtual environments<\/a>, writes Michael Bugeja, February 2010.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Horizon Worlds is supposed to be limited to adults 18 and older. In practice, however,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/technology\/2022\/02\/07\/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">very young kids appear to be among its earliest adopters<\/a>. Some say the presence of children in Meta\u2019s fledgling&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/technology\/2021\/08\/30\/what-is-the-metaverse\/?itid=lk_inline_manual_10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">metaverse<\/a>&nbsp;raises a grave concern: that by mixing children with adult strangers in a largely self-moderated virtual world, the company is inadvertently creating a hunting ground for sexual predators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When new online forums arise that attract kids, sexual predators \u201care often among the first to arrive,\u201d said Sarah Gardner, vice president of external affairs at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thorn.org\/\">Thorn<\/a>, a tech nonprofit that focuses on protecting children from online sexual abuse. \u201cThey see an environment that is not well protected and does not have clear systems of reporting. They\u2019ll go there first to take advantage of the fact that it is a safe ground for them to abuse or groom kids.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/technology\/2022\/02\/07\/facebook-metaverse-horizon-worlds-kids-safety\/\" target=\"_blank\">More on safety for children in virtual worlds from the Washington Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Could nonprofits that engage in an online metaverse be putting their clients or others at risk by asking them to be there too?<\/strong> Comment below! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There&#8217;s one more consideration: accessibility. If you engage with people in a graphics-based environment, you are leaving out people who have sight-impairments. How will auditory displays work for graphics-based environments to address accessibility issues (I&#8217;m asking because I really don&#8217;t know)? Or is it a matter of ensuring you never limit your service delivery and volunteer engagement to only a graphics-based environment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"187\" height=\"242\" src=\"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/vvbooklittle.jpg\" alt=\"cover of Virtual Volunteering book with hands raising up various Internet connected devices\" class=\"wp-image-831\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>There is section devoted to virtual volunteering and avatar-based environments in&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.coyotebroad.com\/vvbook.shtml\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>The&nbsp;<\/em>Last&nbsp;<em>Virtual Volunteering Guidebook<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. The section offers some examples of nonprofits using Second Life to engage with clients and volunteers, and offers specific advice on how a nonprofit should get started using such environments, considerations to explore and pitfalls to avoid &#8211; all of which is relevant for any graphics-based virtual world. The rest of the book is easily adaptable to engaging with volunteers in graphics-based\/avatar-based virtual worlds as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking forward to hearing your comments! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/donate_icon_small.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4685\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have benefited from this blog or other parts of&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.coyotebroad.com\/\">my web site<\/a>&nbsp;and would like to&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.coyotebroad.com\/me\/payme.shtml\">support<\/a>&nbsp;the time that went into&nbsp;researching information, developing material, preparing articles, updating pages, etc. (I receive no funding for this work),&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.coyotebroad.com\/me\/payme.shtml\"><strong>here is how you can help<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An online multimedia platform that allows people to create an avatar for themselves and \u201clive\u201d in an online virtual world. Avatars interact with places, objects and other avatars, exploring the virtual world, meeting other residents, socializing, having business meetings, hosting events, participating in group activities, building, creating, shopping, collaborating, even trading virtual property and services [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Facebook, Meta, Virtual Worlds - Benefits for nonprofits & other community groups? Risks? Does Second Life offer lessons?","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[20,13,14],"tags":[100,176,568,9,477,570,530,532],"class_list":["post-6706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-community-volunteer-engagement","category-community-relationsoutreach","category-tech-tools","tag-community","tag-engagement","tag-ethics","tag-nonprofits","tag-tech4good","tag-virtual-volunteering","tag-volunteering","tag-volunteers"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3fFJB-1Ka","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6706"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6706\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6712,"href":"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6706\/revisions\/6712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coyotecommunications.com\/coyoteblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}