Y
Yistin Usher
Guest
The Future of Teens and Second Life
Posted by Terrence Linden on Aug 20, 2010 9:51:21 AM
As Philip announced at SLCC, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue Teen Second Life as a standalone product and to lower the minimum age of Second Life Residents on the Main Grid to 16. Teen Second Life will be closing on December 31, 2010, and we plan to begin accepting 16-year-old Residents to the Main Grid on or before that date.
In the five years since it opened, the Teen Grid has been a space of incredible creativity for teens and also home to a number of innovative educational projects. However, supporting and developing for two separate grids has been a challenge for us, and has slowed progress on improvements that benefit all Residents. To help us focus our resources and development on the Main Grid, we have made the difficult decision to close Teen Second Life.
Second Life has a lot to offer teens, and they clearly have a lot to offer Second Life. We are proud that Teen Second Life has had a genuine and positive impact on teens’ lives -- as a space for creative self-expression, as a tool helping innovative teachers make a difference, as a place for fun with friends, and more. We are also grateful for the contributions that Teen Second Life Residents and educators have made, and for the support they have provided to the greater Second Life community. Many Teen Grid Residents have gone on to become productive members of the Main Grid on reaching the age of 18.
The question of why all teens can’t enjoy the community and creativity that is present on the Main Grid has come up often in the last five years. Many teens want access to the rich experiences -- the variety of content, the broader marketplace, and the chance to interact with parents and older friends -- that the Main Grid affords. Parents and educators, as well, have often lamented the fact that they are unable to experience Second Life with their kids, or to hold classes serving a broader range of ages.
Lowering the minimum age of Second Life Residents to 16 is a first step toward this goal. As we progress with our plans to close Teen Second Life, we will be transferring 16 and 17 year old Teen Grid accounts, land, and content to the Main Grid. We are evaluating if there are ways to allow 13 -15 year olds to have safe access to limited locations on the Main Grid with appropriate controls at some point in the future. However, there is no guarantee that we will be able to do that, or when, as we weigh it against other company priorities at this point.
I will be talking to teens, parents, and educators about the needs of younger users and how we can work toward being able to serve them in future. I’ll be setting up inworld meetings in the coming weeks to learn more about those needs, and potential short- and long-term solutions to meet them. I look forward to speaking with everyone, and listening to your feedback, thoughts, and suggestions.
For more details, see this wiki page, and stay tuned for further updates.
Posted by Terrence Linden on Aug 20, 2010 9:51:21 AM
As Philip announced at SLCC, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue Teen Second Life as a standalone product and to lower the minimum age of Second Life Residents on the Main Grid to 16. Teen Second Life will be closing on December 31, 2010, and we plan to begin accepting 16-year-old Residents to the Main Grid on or before that date.
In the five years since it opened, the Teen Grid has been a space of incredible creativity for teens and also home to a number of innovative educational projects. However, supporting and developing for two separate grids has been a challenge for us, and has slowed progress on improvements that benefit all Residents. To help us focus our resources and development on the Main Grid, we have made the difficult decision to close Teen Second Life.
Second Life has a lot to offer teens, and they clearly have a lot to offer Second Life. We are proud that Teen Second Life has had a genuine and positive impact on teens’ lives -- as a space for creative self-expression, as a tool helping innovative teachers make a difference, as a place for fun with friends, and more. We are also grateful for the contributions that Teen Second Life Residents and educators have made, and for the support they have provided to the greater Second Life community. Many Teen Grid Residents have gone on to become productive members of the Main Grid on reaching the age of 18.
The question of why all teens can’t enjoy the community and creativity that is present on the Main Grid has come up often in the last five years. Many teens want access to the rich experiences -- the variety of content, the broader marketplace, and the chance to interact with parents and older friends -- that the Main Grid affords. Parents and educators, as well, have often lamented the fact that they are unable to experience Second Life with their kids, or to hold classes serving a broader range of ages.
Lowering the minimum age of Second Life Residents to 16 is a first step toward this goal. As we progress with our plans to close Teen Second Life, we will be transferring 16 and 17 year old Teen Grid accounts, land, and content to the Main Grid. We are evaluating if there are ways to allow 13 -15 year olds to have safe access to limited locations on the Main Grid with appropriate controls at some point in the future. However, there is no guarantee that we will be able to do that, or when, as we weigh it against other company priorities at this point.
I will be talking to teens, parents, and educators about the needs of younger users and how we can work toward being able to serve them in future. I’ll be setting up inworld meetings in the coming weeks to learn more about those needs, and potential short- and long-term solutions to meet them. I look forward to speaking with everyone, and listening to your feedback, thoughts, and suggestions.
For more details, see this wiki page, and stay tuned for further updates.