Second Life ?

Welshwoofs

ShAnE wrote: »

It's a shame as it could be really useful for youngsters if you could filter this.

Lindon Labs used to have Teen Secondlife but I'm afraid to say that it bombed.

There are virtual worlds where youngsters can create with virtual items however. Lego Universe for instance - though unfortunately that's just announced it's also closing its doors come January.

Caroline73_2

My eldest son was playing Animal Crossing at that age. That's a much suitable alternative. It's not online so he can only interact with the characters, you can play it on the DS and connect to others remotely. It's played in real time too.

I do have to say that I'm stunned at an 8 year old having been able to discover that SL even existed, let alone played with it.

Bufger

Its designed for adults that suck at life. Children havent yet had chance to suck at their first life so its best if they stay in reality for a while.

spicyprawn

Bit off subject I suppose but regarding the pictures, I see this sort of thing all the time on music videos and I'm not impressed especially having 2 young daughters.(they may think this is what they want to aspire to). Since retuning the tv though I no longer have these channels so no rushing in and turning them over when bouncy is standing about in her wedding underwear.

I do however allow my girls to sit in and have a ride around on a horse in WoW when my husband is playing on it.

I think a routine helps, my eldest goes on the pc sat morning for 1 hour and my youngest sun morning for 1 hour and they don't even ask during the week unless they would like to know something for homework and we can't find the answer any other way.

lucylucy

Second Life isn't rated 18 anymore, it's 13+

While obviously they don't want an 8 year old, they do have rules in place to keep the under 18s away from adult areas. Adult areas are confined to islands that you can only get to if you have verified you're over 18.

The OPs son is flying his tardis around in areas where any 13 year old is allowed to be.



From their Terms and Conditions http://secondlife.com/corporate/tos.php:

2.1 Age Requirements for Second Life.

By accepting this Agreement in connection with an Account, you represent that you are at least 13 years of age and you have the legal authority to enter into this Agreement. If you are at least 13 years of age and less than 18 years of age, you represent that (i) your parent or legal guardian has consented to your having an Account in Second Life, participating in the Service, and providing your personal information in connection with the Service; and (ii) your parent or legal guardian has read and accepted this Agreement on your behalf. If you are under 13 years of age, then please do not use Second Life. There are lots of other great virtual world services for you. Talk to your parents about which services are appropriate for you.

Elle7

lucylucy wrote: »

Second Life isn't rated 18 anymore, it's 13+

While obviously they don't want an 8 year old, they do have rules in place to keep the under 18s away from adult areas. Adult areas are confined to islands that you can only get to if you have verified you're over 18.

The OPs son is flying his tardis around in areas where any 13 year old is allowed to be.



From their Terms and Conditions http://secondlife.com/corporate/tos.php:

Hmm...you've taken this out of context.

The actual account sign up page states:

When you register for Second Life, you provide your birth date, because you are required to be at least 16 years old. Exception: those 13-15 years old allowed if they are restricted to the estate of a sponsoring organization. For more information, see Teens in Second Life.
To access adult content, you must confirm that you are at least 18 years old by visiting the age verification web page.

From here.

So it is at least a 16+, because the OP isn't letting her son play on 'private' land, and he is still 5 years to young for that regardless.


2.1 Age Requirements for Second Life.

By accepting this Agreement in connection with an Account, you represent that you are at least 13 years of age and you have the legal authority to enter into this Agreement. If you are at least 13 years of age and less than 18 years of age, you represent that (i) your parent or legal guardian has consented to your having an Account in Second Life, participating in the Service, and providing your personal information in connection with the Service; and (ii) your parent or legal guardian has read and accepted this Agreement on your behalf. If you are under 13 years of age, then please do not use Second Life. There are lots of other great virtual world services for you. Talk to your parents about which services are appropriate for you.[/QUOTE]


Some bizarre message about needing an extra 10 characters...Hmm.

lucylucy

Fair enough, Elle7. I hadn't seen that and thought the main grid was generally open to 13+, apologies.

I have played Second Life and I can say that for me it was very easy to identify and avoid adult areas. I spent months buying and making clothes and playing games and that was before they separated the adult content onto restricted islands.

Second Life has a reputation that I think it deserves but there is a lot more to it as well. You just need to know what to avoid.

There are places that are just meant for building and messing with prims and there are some absolutely amazing PG islands that people have made. It can be an incredibly creative place.

I don't really want to get into the rights and wrongs of an 8 year old being there, it's obviously against the rules. I just want to say that I can see the attraction of the non-adult parts of the grid for the endless creative opportunities.

emsywoo123

I have read the thread, and have been hugely encouraged that the majority of posters agree that this is wrong!

I have an 8 year old, and if her Head spoke to me like OP's spoke to her, I would be embarrassed that it had got that stage. Mortified actually. And then to justify it on here? :eek:

tesuhoha

I was a parent like you, although my son didn't play computer games when he was 8. It was when he was 14 that I didn't pay a lot of attention to what was going on. I had a liberal attitude. He was playing World of Warcraft for much of the night without my knowledge. It came to light on parents evening when I found out he had been lying about homework, migraines, school and pretty much everything else.

By that time it was too late. He was out of control. My husband took a sledgehammer to his Xbox but he had skipped school, missed GCSE exams. He failed everything apart from German and only got a C in that. This was a grammar school boy who had been identified as gifted and talented by the school.

We paid for him to go to a private college but he took sick days without our knowledge so after a year we withdrew him. He took out a phone contract with a free playstation 3. He tried a 2nd time to get A levels at the local college but dropped out after befriending some musicians. His only saving grace was his other obsession with the guitar which started at a young age.

Now aged 22 he is long term unemployed having never had a job, he still plays games half the night and is nocturnal cooking meals in the middle of the night. He is the bass player in an exceptionally good rock band and tonight is out playing a gig. They go down really well wherever they play and are liked by young and old. He has a wide circle of friends. Brought up in a non smoking house he started smoking at the age of 21. We have just accepted the way he is but it is not what we dreamed of for him.

So have you thought of buying him a guitar?

tesuhoha

I suppose what I am trying to say is that at the age of 8 you are monitoring him and he has half an hour after school etc but it won't stay like this. He's had a taste of this addictive game and as he gets older he will find ways of accessing it without your knowledge. By the time he is 12 he will probably have experienced the seedier areas of the game and also will be spending considerable time on it, much more than you like. To restrict him you will have to be on top of all the cunning tricks he will pull to deceive you. Thats what boys are like. Working in a school I have seen what they know at a very young age and the school ICT department battles all the time to prevent them accessing forbidden sites and unsavoury material but they still manage it from time to time.

Therefore it concerns me that you are planting a little seed here. Thats what you are doing. Please be warned. i say this with good intentions and no malice. He will find out about everything anyway but you are encouraging it and giving him access to something that could ruin his life and all that you have dreamed of for him, qualifications, university, a job, a love life. It might seem a long way off but the years roll by quickly and before you know it you could have a social recluse, obese, and obsessed by the computer.

My son was lucky the music saved him to an extent but it has taken the life he could have had.