Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:31:22 -0500 To: contact@lindenlab.com From: Michael Bugeja <bugeja@iastate.edu> Subject: Media Request for Chronicle Article I'm doing an article for the Career Network section of The Chronicle of Higher Education on online harassment and assault in virtual environments. I also am a scholarly researcher and may use your replies in my peer-reviewed research and in public on-campus forums. Given the popularity of Second Life, especially in academe, I am making an official request for you to provide answers to the questions below. I'm on deadline and so need a response before Aug. 15. If you do not care to respond, to this inquiry or to any question below, please note that so that I can include this in my article and at campus forums. I will share the specific questions below. Also, please provide as much information as possible to these questions, even if you are not directly responding to them, which I also will note in my article. I want to be as accurate as possible. I also am faxing and sending you a copy of this email via certified mail so that I can be assured that you have received it at this address: Media Request Linden Lab 945 Battery Street San Francisco, CA 94111 fax (415) 243-9045   1. I have visited your Police Blotter. How many incidents have you recorded in the first six months of this year that would constitute harassment? How many of these were sexual in nature? racist? homophobic? How many warnings were issued? suspensions? expulsions? (I believe those are the range of consequences for Second Life users, but do correct me if I am mistaken.) 2. How many incidents have you recorded in the first six months of this year that would constitute abuse (with scripted objects)? how many of these were sexual in nature? racist? homophobic? 3.  I understand and have read the terms of service. In my article I note section 1.2 and 5.1 which essentially hold Linden Lab harmless from any litigation arising from actions, verbal or otherwise, that happen among and between avatars on Second Life. As I understand it, you have the right but not the obligation to investigate incidents that constitute online sexual harassment and/or assault. As such, am I correct in believing that any litigation arising out of interactions among avatars in Second Life is an issue that must be sorted out among users and/or their organizations and institutions? 4. How many requests by attorneys have you received since Second Life's inception for information about actual identities of avatars? How many, if any, were from university counsels? How many involved an educator, if any? 5. Is it Linden Lab's policy to withhold identity of users, even those involved in litigation? Any exceptions? If so, what are they? 6. Do your terms of service differ for universities that purchase significant tracks of land or islands? or are they the same as the ones online that I as a user must agree to? In other words, suppose a university wanted to make a big land purchase and asked for specific terms of service or amendments thereto. Do you make such arrangements and, if so, what are their kind and nature? To whom have you issued such changes, if any? 7. What guidelines do you believe professors who hold classes in Second Life should provide to their students concerning online harassment, assault or violations of other Second Life community standards? Please be specific as this can go a long way to help academicians understand how to use the service proactively and avoid litigation, adhering to your standards. 8. Do you believe that centers of teaching excellence, human resources departments, university counsels and technology institutes on campus have an obligation to advise constituents about online sexual harassment and assault and the litigation that may arise therefrom in virtual environments? If so, why? If not, why? 9. What other advice, recommendations or guidelines can you provide that will help university users of Second Life be more accountable to constituents and other avatars using your service?