It is a social network service, but is commonly referred to as a game. However, It does not have points, scores, winners or losers, levels, an end-strategy, or most of the other characteristics of games, though it can be thought of as a game on a more basic level because it is "played for fun". It is all about socialising, and creating an online personality, so that you really can live a second life! However, there is a large business opportunity too.
Some facts:
- It was created in 1991 by Philip Rosedale in San Fransisco
- In 2002, there were just 4 users, now, there are over 9.8 million users, called "residents" from all over the world. This number proves it is far more successful than "World of warcraft", another virtual world, which has about 8.5 million users.
- You can pretty much do anything, find a real life job, go dancing and even test drive a car.
- The market in second life is worth over half a billion pounds a year.
- Rebok, Calvin Klein and Sony have already set up stores within second life, as you can make REAL money, selling VIRTUAL things. For example, in the Rebok shop, you can create virtual shoes and if you like them, you can buy them in the real world. The british company Rivers Run Red has also got involved with the virtual world, providing brands with a way of entering into the virtual market, such as vodafone. As a result, they turnover about £3,000,000 each year.
- There are no rules (which has proved controversial)
- Users, or "residents" set up an "avatar" which they can make appear however they want.
- It has its own currency. The Linden Dollar (about 500 = £1)
- People have already given up their jobs in the real world to work in the virtual world, as you can make real money selling virtual things. An example of this is Anshe Chung who has made over a million dollars of real money through the virtual world. This page of Wikipedia explains how she made her money.
- People have even been known to meet real life partners through it, and marry them!
- Second Life has a growth of somewhere between 15% and 20% each month.
With it costing somewhere between 40 and 50 million dollars to create a virtual world, the benefits have to be substantial. Second Life certainly has proved worth while. However, an investigation in this virtual world by Sky News has proved there may be a dark side to Second Life. Could this lead to the fall in what seems to be the latest craze?
This video on Youtube by Jason Farrell of Sky News uncovers the "dark side" of Second Life.
It reveales a huge sex industry, and raises questions over the age of people accessing the material available. A virtual investigator found that hidden behind shopping mall on one virtual island is a place called Wonderland. At first, it looks like a playground, with a number of young children. However, these children aren't just playing around, they are performing sexual acts to too. These are children are off all ages, even todlers. You can agree a price and carry out a range of sexual acts with them.An issue raised with the virtual world is that virtual crime has real victims. A major concern is that people will bring their fantasys from the fantasy world to the real world and act it out. An example of this is a Archibald Wood, a pedophile who moved from fantasizing in internet chatrooms, to real child abuse. His computer hardrive logged his activities, and helped to convict him. However, in Second Life, actions are not recorded. Following the sky news investigation, Second Life said that virtual detectives will be sent in to check out Wonderland.
