The big news of course is the change of the Second Life Terms of Service, particularly the section regarding user generated content in section 2.3 : Updates to Section 2.3 of the Terms of Service. However I already have plans for blog posts today so that’s going to have to wait!
Instead I’m going to take a look at a positive change Google+ have announced that users will now be able to use any name they like on the service .. as long as it’s a first name last name combination, isn’t full of profanity and isn’t an obvious attempt to impersonate someone else. The post states :
Over the years, as Google+ grew and its community became established, we steadily opened up this policy, from allowing +Page owners to use any name of their choosing to letting YouTube users bring their usernames into Google+. Today, we are taking the last step: there are no more restrictions on what name you can use.
This is a very sensible move, albeit a few years late but it also provides the creators of virtual worlds, such as Linden Lab, a platform on which they can advertise their wares and their users can engage with them, without fear of having their accounts deleted for running foul of a real name policy, such as Facebook have.
Second Life has a Google+ page and they do use it, but now they can invite their own users to share with them on their page and use their Second Life names too. This is a very good opportunity, to, well, social network.
I’m not suggesting Linden Lab and Second Life should ditch Facebook, after all Facebook has fantastic reach. However I would urge Linden Lab to look into ways to make Google+ work in terms of promotions, competitions and general community engagement because now the community can safely engage without worrying about running afoul of the rules.
This is a very good policy shift by Google+. people’s interests are more important than people’s real names on a social network. Identity is of course important, but people can build their virtual world identities and extend them to Google+, it’s a win win.