Congressman gamer supports Riot Game's anti-SOPA stance originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This week, we cover the final installment of our summarized history of Second Life and Linden Lab (check out the first installment or the second, if you missed them). It's only possible to cover a tiny fraction of the events that took place in the space we have here, but the highlights paint an interesting picture.

We'll be working our way from 2008 to June 2010, and looking at what future directions we expect from there.

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life, 2008-2010 and beyond

The Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life, 2008-2010 and beyond originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So, ever wonder what's really motivating Linden Lab's recent push to implement an Adult content rating and firm up age-verification for Second Life? How about HR110-920 FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2009?

This is an appropriations bill that covers a lot of ground, covering appropriations for a whole lot of things. Introduced on 10 December 2008, the bill specifically includes an appropriation for an investigation and report to Congress on explicit content in virtual environments and on the access to those environments by minors.

Continue reading Is Congress the smoking gun behind Second Life's turnaround on adult content?

Is Congress the smoking gun behind Second Life's turnaround on adult content? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 May 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Section 7803(c)(2)(B)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code requires the National Taxpayer Advocate to submit a report to Congress each year and in it, among other things, to identify at least 20 of the most serious problems encountered by taxpayers and to make administrative and legislative recommendations to mitigate those problems. Thus, the statute requires that the report focus on problems and areas in need of improvement.

Of the 20 "most serious problems encountered by taxpayers", number 13 is The IRS Should Proactively Address Emerging Issues Such as Those Arising From "Virtual Worlds".

For the impatient, who just want the sound-bite, it boils down to the position that the existing US Tax Code already covers much of what takes place in virtual environments, with respect to assets, virtual currencies and transactions. Indeed most of the Code already deals with many things that are no less virtual and no more corporeal than are virtual environments. The only real issue the IRS seems to have with it is a lack of information on the part of the taxpayer about if, when and how to report and pay their taxes relating to virtual environment activities, and the lack of any uniform positional advice.

Continue reading IRS reports to Congress: Virtual worlds/MMOGs have always been taxable

IRS reports to Congress: Virtual worlds/MMOGs have always been taxable originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Tuesday, 1 April at 9:30AM (US Eastern time), Linden Lab CEO Philip Rosedale will be appearing to testify before the Congressional Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. The topic will be "Online Virtual Worlds: Applications and Avatars in a User-Generated Medium" and this will be the first Congressional hearing to explore the ways in which virtual worlds are enhancing the means by which individuals can transcend space to communicate with each other.

You can catch the live webcast of the event when it takes place, and the session will be taking place in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC, if you are interested in attending in person. The facility should be wheelchair accessible.

Thanks to Linden Lab for sending us the notice on this event.

Philip Rosedale to appear before congressional subcommittee originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.