The PC Pro guide to virtual etiquette

Posted on 11 Mar 2008 at 16:53

Here are our top five tips to avoid falling foul of the law, the taxman and avatars without scruples in online worlds:

Here are our top five tips to avoid falling foul of the law, the taxman and avatars without scruples in online worlds:

1. Choose the right world

Whether it's a multiplayer game or an immersive 3D social environment, choose your world carefully before investing your time and money in building a life there. Read the terms of service and search the web for the opinions of existing residents before signing up. Second Life gives you the freedom to create pretty much anything and own the IP rights to it, but as far as policing is concerned you're on your own. There.com has to approve any item before it can be sold in-world, but in return offers a tighter level of in-game control.

2. Choose your friends carefully

As in the real world, trust is to be earned and not given away. This applies particularly in gaming environments where fostering a friendship can just be a strategy to steal your possessions and murder your avatar.

3. Report abuse

All virtual worlds have an abuse-reporting mechanism: don't be scared to use it.

4. Declare profits

A virtual business becomes a real one as soon as you take money out of the game and turn it into proper cash. At that point, you need to declare the money to the taxman.

5. Consider Newton's third law

For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. Remember that behind every avatar is a real person, and modify your virtual behaviour accordingly. Treat others with the respect you'd expect yourself and steer clear of potential conflict.

Back to 'Real trouble in virtual worlds'.

Author: Davey Winder