March 1st, 2007
Second Life political dirty tricks? Edwards campaign cries foul
Edition number 27 in this Digital Markets Blog presidential campaign 2008 series on what I am calling “User Generated Politics”
Is politics in Second Life inspired by Real Life political dirty tricks?
"User Generated Politics" have taken a sinister turn, according to "robinrising," posting at the John Edwards blog:
Shortly before midnight on Monday, February 26, a group of republican Second Life users, some sporting "Bush '08" tags, vandalized the John Edwards Second Life HQ. They plastered the area with Marxist/Lenninist posters and slogans, a feces spewing obsenity, and a photoshopped picture of John in blackface, all the while harrassing visitors with right-wing nonsense and obsenity-laden abuse of Democrats in general and John in particular.
I witnessed this event, taking names and photos, including the owners of the pictures. I also kept and saved a copy of the chat log. I have filed an abuse report with Linden Labs, and am awaiting their investigation.
Commenter ET remarked:
I am not familiar with Second Life…I gather it is a place where a JRE enthusiast set up a virtual environment and the Second Life community is one where other community members can adopt cartoon identities and "live" as well. So we are witnessing cartoon violence on a cartoon JRE supporter presumably (if your report is correct) by cartoon Republicans.
The Second Life home suggests the community was intended to be fanciful, and allow people to "strike a pose" in peace. You could present your ego or your alter-ego, so-to-speak. You could be the persona wish instead of the person you are. I suppose we see from this instance that there are some ugly personas out there.
STAY TUNED TO THIS DIGITAL MARKETS BLOG FOR CONTINUING COVERAGE OF WHAT I AM CALLING “USER GENERATED POLITICS” 2008
More in this Digital Markets Special Series:
YouTube: Presidential candidates cool in ‘User Generated Politics’ campaign 2008
John McCain to David Letterman: I announce!
John Edwards NOT Social Networking for ‘User Generated Politics’
John McCain announces McCain Space! Republican ‘User Generated Politics’
Oprah Winfrey embraces Barack Obama: Can she drive votes?
Barack Obama million dollar star in Hollywood
Hillary Clinton trumps Barack Obama, on eBay!
