Woodbury U. Banned From Second Life, Again - Wired Campus - The Chronicle of Higher Education
A Second Life university razed and avatars snuffed because their virtual university didn't look enough like a meatspace institution?
- - By Dan O'Reilly-Rowe
- Woodbury University's virtual campus in Second Life was torn down yesterday by Linden Lab, the company that operates the virtual world, and the accounts of several students and professors were blocked.
- This is the second time that Linden Lab has removed Woodbury's virtual campus. About three years ago, the company wiped out the university's presence, saying that the university had violated the unspecified parts of the terms-of-service agreement. The university decided to rebuild through a reseller of Second Life land, though by doing so it no longer received Linden Lab's education discount.
- For years Second Life has been occasionally struck by online vandals, known as griefers, who stage disturbances in the virtual spaces, such as placing giant swastikas in public areas. In response, some users decided to seek justice outside traditional law. Their group, Justice League Unlimited, is led by an avatar named Kalel Venkman, who is designed to look like Superman.
- Woodbury has long encouraged anyone to use its Second Life campus to try experimental activities. At some point, one or more griefers became affiliated with the university in Second Life. The Justice League, concluding that Woodbury was responsible for the misbehavior, lobbied Linden Lab to block the virtual campus.
- The professor said he felt that the virtual campus did not conform to what Linden Lab wanted a campus to be—with buildings and virtual lecture halls.
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