Identity Schmidentity

Understanding the world of Virtual Reality & Cyberspace

● Freelance journalist● Specializes in writing about

online communities ● Alum of Yale University● Has J.D. from University of

Chicago Law ● Written for Wired, The New

York Times, and Village Voice ● Author of two books

Author of A Rape in Cyberspace-Julian Dibbell

What is a Virtual Community??

● Encourages interaction around a particular interest● Promotes less face-to-face interaction● An escape from reality● New forms of civic engagement have formed ● YOU CAN BE WHOMEVER YOU WANT TO BE!

Significance of Virtual Communities

● Some people don’t know when they’ve taken it too far

● A Rape in Cyberspace addresses unacceptable behavior in virtual communities and how to prevent them from happening

● Is it really consider unethical behavior if it’s done online? It’s only the Internet...

Let’s Keep it Real...

● LambdaMOO-virtual community allowing players to interact using avatars

● “Mr. Bungle”-created a subprogram by using a voodoo doll to make other characters perform lewd actions deemed unacceptable for the community

● Sparked outrage amongst other users and raised questions regarding real-life and virtual reality

● One character was a victim of the virtual rape-”posstraumatic tears were streaming down her face” in real life

● After hours of heated discussion, an admin quietly removed Mr. Bungle

● Eventually returned as a new character, “Dr. Jest”

So...what happened?

● The crimes committed by Mr. Bungle exists within a “dissonant gap” between virtual reality & real life

● “Since rape can occur without any physical pain or damage, I found myself reasoning, then it must be classed as a crime against the mind-more intimately and deeply hurtful, to be sure, than cross burnings, wolf whistles, and virtual rape, but undeniably located on the same continuum.”

Author’s Viewpoint

● Raises the question “are we allowed to do anything we want in the virtual world or does morality play a role?

● Is anyone being harmed in real-life?

● Should there be repercussions for these actions?

It’s just a game...right??

● Some may argue that cyberspace is the place to take out fantasies and do things with absolute freedom, whereas others believe some actions create bad people who do bad things in the real world.

● Should some actions be condoned and others shunned?

● Other instances where “questionable behavior” is performed in a virtual world?

● Do you find yourself participating in these types of activities?

What do you think?