Back in March, Second Life operators Linden Lab announced plans to create a new segregated area for adult content in their popular virtual world, and announced plans to solicit feedback from Second Life users, content creators, and business operators to work out the details. Now, the Lindens have a plan to deal with adult-oriented content in Second Life, which includes a three-tiered rating system, search filtering capabilities, and a separate “adult continent” the the virtual world’s most explicit content. The move makes Second Life a more appealing place for businesses, educational institutions, organizations, and others (including many residents) who want to take advantage of virtual world capabilities without being (sometimes literally) pelted with adult-oriented content; however, viewed another way, Linden Lab’s policy makes Second Life essentially the only virtual world that specifically welcomes adult content…and that’s very much in keeping with Second Life’s open-ended, diverse, individualistic style.
