Logging on to Second life today will give you the following pop-up:

Three changes have been made and the main one, Section 4.2 is a direct response to copybot;

4.2 You agree to use Second Life as provided, without unauthorized software or other means of access or use. You will not make unauthorized works from or conduct unauthorized distribution of the Linden Software.

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Sadly this is too little, too late. I wasn’t around for the whole copybot fiasco but it just affirms that I was correct when I stopped producing content for SL. Linden Lab don’t actually care who or how many have been ripped off with this - but they act to protect their software.

The upshot of this is that second life is not a safe environment to produce content and retain your rights - if people are aware of that then no one can be surprised when they become a victim and they also have no right to complain when its a known fact.

Section 3.2

3.2 You retain copyright and other intellectual property rights with respect to Content you create in Second Life, to the extent that you have such rights under applicable law. However, you must make certain representations and warranties, and provide certain license rights, forbearances and indemnification, to Linden Lab and to other users of Second Life.

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I find this very disturbing, but again - not surprising. In summery it is saying that although you retain copyright on your items any third party can take your creations and use them in advertising etc as they wish and they don’t need your persmission or to pay you.

This essentially means multi-million dollar companies and agencies can make cool advertising campaigns using my clothes and not have to pay me a cent. This really isn’t good enough.

Out-of-the-box SL avatars are crap, the first active thing most people do is try to make their avatar look good - as apposed to some 80’s nintendo nightmare.

Would adidas use default avatars in commercials - no. They would get the best looking ones they could. Why shouldnt they pay the hair maker, skin creator, clothes designer a fee to use their stuff?

If adidas put an iMac in a real life commercial they would HAVE to pay Apple - content creators in SL deserve royalties too.

The final change (section 4.4) is regarding the use of Linden Lab’s logos on websites.

4.4 You will not use the marks of Linden Lab without authorization from Linden Lab.

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