Dealing with Harassment in Second Life

"Law enforcement agencies estimate that electronic communications are a factor in from 20 percent to 40 percent of all stalking cases. Forty-four states now have laws that explicitly include electronic forms of communication within stalking or harassment laws. State laws that do not include specific references to electronic communication may still apply to those who threaten or harass others online, but specific language can make the laws easier to enforce," from the National Conference of Legislators web site. "Make no mistake: this kind of harassment can be as frightening and as real as being followed and watched in your neighborhood or in your home," former US Vice President, Al Gore. "Given the myriad capabilities of Second Life, harassment can take many forms. Communicating or behaving in a manner that is offensively coarse, intimidating or threatening, constitutes unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors, or is otherwise likely to cause annoyance or alarm is Harassment, " from the Second Life Community Standards.

What is Online (or "Cyber") Harassment?

When you are being harassed and can identify some or all of these components - malice, premeditation, repetition, distress, obsession, vendetta, or no legitimate purpose - you are probably dealing with online harassment. It's not that different from real world harassment. There is a definite "creep factor" when the harasser is as anonymous and elusive as an Internet stalker can be. Read this for a detailed examination of on line harassment.

What is Harassment in Second Life?

With the exception of Assault, Harassment is the single most common Community Standard violation in Second Life. It is the third most common reason people are removed from Second Life permanently. Harassment in world is as diverse as Second Life itself; impeding movement through the use of primitives, continuous instant messaging and other unwanted contact, sexual harassment, verbal abuse and the solicitation of abuse are common offenses found in Second Life. Sometimes the problem is interpretation. Harassment can be very subjective and one avatar's harassment might be another avatar's wooing. Especially given the fairly context-less environment of Second Life's communications, where body language and other nonverbal subtexts are not well represented, the chance of misinterpreting someone's actions or behavior is very high. On the other hand, the ease of interaction is also fertile ground for those who want to harass others through their unwanted attention, communication or other interaction.

What Can Linden Lab Do?

As with other violations of the Community Standards, Linden Lab investigates all reports of harassment. Harassment is considered a serious violation of our Community Standards and is treated as such. In the words of the Abuse Manager: "Any action or behavior that makes Second Life feel unwelcoming or unsafe is not a behavior we will encourage or condone." In other words, we are all here to enjoy our Second Life, whatever that may be. The deliberate harassment of others should not be a part of that experience.