The last time I checked, Linden Labs is a private company located in the United States of America. As such, the freedom of speech, as protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, applies. That means… Opinions and views matter, are protected, and people have the right to express them under most circumstances. 

Linden Labs also values the opinions and views of others and have, in part, created 2nd Life so people can express their opinions and views in a 3d virtual social environment that can be experience with and shared by others. In that venue, they have a responsibility to protect their patrons, as well as their patrons personal information.

Linden Labs privacy policies and community standards speak to both the freedom of speech and the protection of patrons and their personal information. The sections presented below detail the current Linden Labs polices. 

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Privacy Policy Page:

Disclosing Personal Information in Profiles, Forums or within Second Life

You may choose to disclose personal information in our online forums, via your Second Life profile, directly to other users in chat or otherwise while using Second Life. Please be aware that such information is public information and you should not expect privacy or confidentiality of this information.

Community Standards:

Disclosure

Residents are entitled to a reasonable level of privacy with regard to their Second Life experience. Sharing personal information about a fellow Resident-including gender, religion, age, marital status, race, sexual preference, and real-world location beyond what is provided by the Resident in the First Life page of their Resident profile is a violation of that Resident’s privacy. Remotely monitoring conversations, posting conversation logs, or sharing conversation logs without consent are all prohibited in Second Life and on the Second Life Forums.

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These policies and standards seem clear. As a citizen of 2nd Life, we are all entitled to our opinions and views. We are further free to express them in a manner that does not directly name or identify specific individuals or groups in a derogatory manner. Personal information is to be protected, but… Linden Labs makes it perfectly clear that any information disclosed openly in your profile or freely given to others publicly or privately is considered public information.

I, for one, believe these policies are fair, yet protect individuals and their personal information. I adhere to these policies and have since my first avatar creation date back in 2004. I protect the personal information of others by not naming them and not detailing that information with specifics that directly identify them. That is not responsible or respectful and is conduct that should be frowned upon openly by others.

The fact remains… Some patrons of 2nd Life will always take issue with the opinions and views that others have. They will only read what they wish to see in a site like idoleo.com and will assume they have been personally wronged and publicly singled out. It is as laughable as it is sad and it speaks volumes to the character (or lack there of) of those individuals, rather than mine.

To those individuals that this post addresses, I say the following… Do not put yourself out there or conduct yourself in a manner you will regret later. Being in a social venue like 2nd Life and interacting with others in that environment makes you, the information you share, the information you display, and your conduct public.