Hey everyone, Brooklyn Is Watching is moving out! We’re packing up the van and heading to the Impermanence island (Our neighbor is the University of Kansas sim). Check out our new digs here:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Impermanence/100/200/20
SPACIOUS! YOU CAN SEE THE OCEAN!
Packing is always a hassle, but we’re going to be moving in by Monday if all goes well 
Looking forward to seeing our new place cluttered with new B.I.W works. Redecorating!!!!
How can BiW move to a PG sim?? Do we really want to say goodbye to Ichibot and Arahan and many of our other artists that produce works that won’t be suitable for display there?
oh no, i’ll miss the wonderful green lawn! remember, we did all kinds of funny changes to the lawn! all that is now history? sigh …
Is it really a PG sim? That sucks, for many reasons, even my avatar isn’t allowed in a PG sim!
I always hated the hedges, the green lawn and the useless stage. It was quite fun modding it all though in desperate attempts to make it look less ugly.
you can still change whatever lawn we end up with in the same way by putting stuff over the lawn.
Your avatar is not allowed on a PG sim arahan? that’s stupid!- -why not?! not like your avatar is a giant penis or something– what- you have… what? assless pants or something (terrible memory) ? i don’t remember anything i thought was racey…
The PG thing could become a serious issue. But I’m wondering under what circumstances? Does some offended person have to report it to LL? Then what?
Yes Jay it is ridiculous but true, in theory at least but I always ignore those silly rules. I was telling Selavy earlier today how upon arriving at last years SL6B a volunteer IM’d me to remind me it was a PG area. This is how my avatar looks.
A PG Brooklyn is Watching, or indeed any PG art sim or gallery is a weird notion, you will not even be allowed to show a nude there, which in art terms is nonsensical. The vast majority of work left at BiW would not be considered mature but a lot would be, if an artist leaves something you think might go against the Linden Lab standards will you remove it or defend it as art?
of course it’s art. by definition. period.
send the linden’s in the louvre, if they object.
The PG thing could become a serious issue. But I’m wondering under what circumstances? Does some offended person have to report it to LL? Then what?
Left by oberon.onmura on July 2nd, 2009
Oberon,
All it takes is one resident to report something, or a bored Linden looking to flex some muscle, and it could potentially mean suspension or a ban for the artist and possibly for the landowners.
I think that this move will unavoidably change the whole nature of BiW, there has always been a bit of an anarchic edge to the project and that will be suppressed because artists will censor themselves.
arg, jay, the edit-feature is broken for me, some strange error message, and i cannot fix my typos anymore!
apart from that, i’m sure that we’ll see some so-called mature content soon. and perhaps someone who sticks a label on it: THIS IS ART.
I think this will be interesting.
I just went to the new sim, you should either leave it just as it is or hire someone like Ichibot to design it. But please, no hedges!
You know the estate manager can raise the rating on the sim…you don’t have to go the lindens.
Linden Labs has introduced the Adult sim to make it to where Mature is a midway between Adult (very naughty age verified content) and PG (super wholesome can’t even curse). The lindens one time banned my partner because he played, on a pg sim, a clip from The Producers as a gesture. That clip was Mel Brooks singing “go ahead and be a smarty, come and join the Nazi party.” someone complained and my partner was banned for two weeks for hate speak on a pg sim. If you can’t even plan an audio clip, from a well known Jewish comedian, performing in a well known comedic Play/Movie, as a joke….Well…I think you guys are opening a big can of worms.
Sure, the bulk of what exists on Brooklyn is Watching is pretty tame, but according to the Lindens new set of rules, even tasteful nudes would be considered illegal content on a PG sim. Linden Labs is under extreme pressure to provide “family friendly” content because the teen-grin no longer exists, there is NO longer a minimum age to play second life (except for age verified adult areas), and Linden Labs has to answer to people who will potentially sue them for exposing their children to “unwholesome” things.
The definition of Mature sim has even radically changed sense the implementation of Adult sims. A lot of the behavior that previously could occur on Mature sims is no longer legal in second life, and could get you banned.
“Linden Labs is under extreme pressure to provide “family friendly” content because the teen-grin no longer exists, there is NO longer a minimum age to play second life (except for age verified adult areas)”
This information is very wrong, the Teen Grid still exists and it’s been discussed daily for a few weeks now whether Linden Lab will ever allow under 18s on the main grid, so far the answer is no. You can be either Age Verified (the Aristotle route) and/or Payment Info On File (PIOF) this will get you access to Adult rated land when it is all set up, at this time anyone can go to Adult land but that will be stopped.
PG land, Linden Lab have made it VERY clear in the last couple of months that if you EVEN THINK of sex while on PG land they will ban you. Don’t even think of having a art gallery on PG land, even on mature land now it may raise some interesting responses.
It’s a sad state of affairs when, although it is acknowledged that everyone in SL is, in fact, adults, the simple threat of someone being offended and bringing suit necessitates this kind of reaction. It’s shameful. We’re adults, for godssake.
This will be interesting.
A-fuckin’-men Oberon! I totally agree. Everyone on the main grid is supposed to be over 18, so why there is even an issue is beyond me, these draconian rules should never be applied to art it is insanity. When that stupid incident with the nude statue at Burning Life happened the artistic community should have boycotted the event, some did, myself and Nebulosus included, but many just didn’t care, including the artist (Cheen Pitney?) who made the statue, it was all rather pathetic. That submission sent out a clear message to Linden Lab that we can be pushed around.
Art is about the only interesting thing that SL has going for it anymore, if artists don’t stick together the scene will eventually crumble and die.
Jay, I would really like to know what action you will take, if any, against “mature” art left on the new sim? BiW has many well-known artists and critics associated with the project and is in a position where you could potentially influence Linden Lab policy.
Good question– its not going to be entirely up to me because our policy will have to be worked out in consultation with our new landlords (KU)- – who I fully expect will be on our side – they will have their reputation to consider – they want people to know that they are a serious university with a very good art program (its certified by the NASAD)- they turn out some excellent artists there – and they won’t want to be seen as being on the side of censorship- neither will they want to be seen to be supporting any work that is offensive for the sake of offense-
We’re getting both this new sim, and the use of the other sim for the Best of show from the university through August, plus help from Sage Duncan and, its likely support from the university in terms of some student interns etc. in the fall… a very good deal for the project, and I think a great deal for the university which will burnish its reputation for innovation by supporting this project.
all that and i didn’t answer your question.
I guess the answer is “i’m not entirely sure yet” -
… “work that is offensive for the sake of offence” is mostly always stupid and that isn’t the type of art that concerns me. But, occasionally, some work out of necessity might contain provocative or explicit themes, I can think of quite a lot of excellent work left at BiW that would fit this category and it would be very worrying if there were restrictions that would close off that avenue of expression.
Wait, isn’t it just terribly counterproductive for the U of Kansas to have a PG sim for their own uses? Like, take BiW out of the picture… it would seem like any sort of art-related (or even education-related) sim would run afoul of the Lindens sooner or later if they had a pg rating. I know the trend in publicly-funded US education more and more is to bend over backwards to meet the “special needs” of some of its more conservative students (for instance, I once taught at a college where I had to ask if there was anyone who had a “moral objection” to drawing the nude and then provide alternatives to that assignment if so – such idiocy). But a PG rating on and educational sim seems a little crazy even by… *cough*… *cough*… Kansas standards… (sorry, someone had to be the east coast elitist).
Hello Everyone!
What a wonderful spirited discussion. The Department of Visual Art at KU is excited to host the BIW project. Regarding comments about Kansas itself, well I’m a native New Yorker and love working with the talented art students here and Mr. Jay Van Buren is an alum of KU. I hope you will continue this energetic discussion as it focuses upon an age old debate for artists in all realities, and the BIW blog should be an important component of any critical art writing course.
Best to all!
The University of Kansas did teach me how to draw, and it was by drawing nudes- best way to learn to draw, bar none. You just can’t learn as well drawing anything else- I’m convinced of that.
Arahan- I completely agree that artwork sometimes needs to venture into territory that is uncomfortable or had provocative or explicit themes- and where the line gets drawn there is what we’ll have to figure out.
As for Amy’s question about a university having a PG sim — i guess it depends on the definition of “PG” — for example someone said that Arahan was not allowed on a PG sim? why would that be? Can someone explain?
Jay I explained above!
It’s because Arahan is BROADLY OFFENSIVE in definition, someone may fear one of his balls popping out of his g-string. LOL.
This Adult Content policy is way beyond a joke, by Linden Lab definitions some Disney films would be illegal on PG land.
Maturity ratings: an overview
What are “Adult” Regions, groups, events, and classifieds?
The Adult designation applies to Second Life® Regions that host conduct or display content that is sexually explicit or intensely violent, or depicts illicit drug use. Any Region must be designated Adult and therefore require account verification, if it advertises or publicly promotes the following:
* Representations of intensely violent acts, whether or not photo-realistic (for example, depicting death, torture, dismemberment or other severe bodily harm)
* Photo-realistic nudity; photo-realistic means that an image either is or cannot be distinguished from a photograph
* Expressly sexually themed content, spaces or activities (whether or not photo-realistic); we will broadly define what is “sexually themed” to include any sexually oriented activities and conduct
Groups, event listings and classified ads that reference these themes or content must also be designated Adult.
Linden Lab will enforce these rules. However, we can’t monitor all ephemeral content and conduct within Second Life. We will therefore rely on several factors in implementing these Adult designation requirements:
1. First and foremost, Regions, groups, and event or classified ad listings that employ search tags plainly suggestive of adult behavior or content will require the respective Adult designation, and not be viewable to Residents who are not account verified.
2. Second, we will conduct proactive monitoring and rely on abuse reports that identify adult content or conduct that is promoted or advertised publicly. Where adult content or conduct on a Region is publicly advertised or promoted, that Region must be designated as Adult (or such content must be removed). We will re-designate such Regions if adult content is not removed.
3. We may take into account whether apparent or reported adult content or conduct on a particular Region serves only an extremely limited or passive function, or an important educational or cultural function, and therefore would be appropriate for all Second Life audiences.
4. As with all reported activity in violation of our policies, we will actively review all reports of adult conduct and provide Residents with a channel for rebuttal.
In the FAQs below, we offer examples as to what types of Regions are and are not considered adult, based on, for example, distinctions between “public” and “private” content, as well as distinctions between content that is “expressly sexually themed” and content that is not.
Linden Lab has created a special-use “Adult Continent” — a “mainland” alternative where adult content and activities can be located and found by Residents. Landowners wishing to host adult activities or make available adult content can either
* Locate on this Adult Continent
* Locate on a Region that has been designated by its owner as Adult
Region owners are responsible for designating a Region’s maturity level. Occupants of Regions will be expected to locate in a Region suitable to each occupant’s content and conduct.
What are “Mature” Regions, groups, events, and classifieds?
Second Life’s Mature Designation is intended to accommodate most of the non-adult activities that are common in Second Life. For instance, social and dance clubs (unless those clubs promote sexual conduct or use adult search tags), bars, stores and malls, galleries, music venues, beaches, parks (and other spaces for socializing, creating, and learning) all support a Mature designation so long as they don’t host publicly promoted adult activities or content.
Thus, Residents in these spaces should expect to see a variety of themes and content. For instance, stores that sell a range of content that includes some “sexy” clothing or objects can generally reside in Mature rather than Adult Regions. Dance clubs that feature “burlesque” acts can also generally reside in Mature Regions so long as they don’t promote sexual conduct, such as through pose balls (whether in “backrooms” or more visible spaces). However, if any of these businesses uses adult-oriented search tags, it may be categorized as adult and also blocked from appearing in non-adult search.
Groups, events and classifieds that relate to this broad range of activities and themes generally should also be designated as Mature.
What are “PG” Regions, groups, events, and classifieds?
There are some landowners and Residents who desire a Second Life experience distinct from the activity that occurs in Mature and Adult Regions. Region owners who wish to host this sort of Second Life experience can (but need not) designate their Regions as PG. A Region may be designated PG if it does not advertise or make available content or activity that’s sexually explicit, violent or depicts nudity. Likewise, sexually-oriented objects such as “sex beds” or poseballs may not be located or sold in PG regions.
As we’ve also often said, PG regions are areas where you’d feel free to say and do things that you’d be comfortable saying and doing in front of your grandmother, or a grade school class. Institutions such as universities, conference organizers, and real world businesses, for instance, may wish to designate their Regions as PG. Likewise their users (and others) may wish to employ Second Life’s PG search setting to deliver further targeted search results.
If you’re unsure whether your region is PG or mature, or feel there’s some ambiguity as to whether your content and activities are allowed in PG regions, it’s probably best to designate your region as Mature.
Please refer to our FAQs for further guidance on the implementation and enforcement of this policy, information on our account verification procedures, and information on how we will transition our Region owners and merchants to this system in an efficient way.
In the Adult definitions, this may be the clause that allows the gallery to show ‘Adult Content’:
3. We may take into account whether apparent or reported adult content or conduct on a particular Region serves only an extremely limited or passive function, or an important educational or **cultural function**, and therefore would be appropriate for all Second Life audiences.
“It’s because Arahan is BROADLY OFFENSIVE in definition, someone may fear one of his balls popping out of his g-string.”
OK definitely LOL, but Monsieur Raymaker I wear ‘Hello Kitty panties’, not a g-sting!
I generally don’t like euphemisms. If “Adult” means “explicitly pornographic” why don’t they say it?
“I know the trend in publicly-funded US education more and more is to bend over backwards to meet the “special needs” of some of its more conservative students … ”
In any public space, the more conservative, more restrictive, more limiting always – ALWAYS – wins out over the more liberal, less restrictive. That’s why non-Muslim women, for instance, must veil themselves in Muslim lands, but we allow Muslim women to veil themselves here (in NYC) even though to be masked in this culture is not appropriate. The more restrictive always trumps the more liberal in a public space.
I have been to the new sim and love the expansive space; I hope the support from KU can extend beyond August. If everyone works together to make it meaningful and worthwhile, could this happen?
The new adult content regs confuse me. Arahan’s pink regalia is part of his art, which is to make cuteness into a subversion of something historically oppressive.
I wonder if voluntary self-censorship would work for the more provocative themes, such as having a teleport at the surface of the sim for something high up in the air or in the water (not immediately visible to casual drop-in tourists)?
Something like: “This is a teleport to an exhibit which is a significant cultural statement and not to everyone’s taste, so please do not visit it if you are easily offended.”
Toto, we’re not in Oz anymore…. but Kansas is a good multi-flat layered place to call home.
The lady doth talk much sense, hope you’re listening.
Any the new home is only until August? What happens then?
Hello Everyone!
There seems to be some misinformation floating out there.
The Best of 30 show is up for the length of festival on the KU ART Sim.
The BIW PROJECT has new home on the KU Visual Art Research Sim next door. We are delighted to be able to host such a great creative and educational experience for everyone.
Best to All,
Sage Duncan
Ah, that was Mab’s fault!
Okay, all this has been said already — I am arriving late to the discussion — but even so, it bears repeating:
How the hell is hosting BIW on a PG sim a good idea??? I’m not sure if that was ever adequately explained. Please, someone enlighten me.
Well Neb, it wasn’t the PG-ness that was the appeal per se – it was the free sim for both the project over all and for the 30 best show simultaneously, I’m getting up to speed on what PG means exactly- it looks like exceptions are made for things of ‘cultural significance’ so to me that means if its good artwork not just some like some stupid bong for the sake of a bong or whatever it would not be in violation of the PG rating- we’re formulating a policy that we’ll post and we’ll be totally transparent about it.
also remember that the sim is only part of the project- anyone can put up a sign and teleporter on the sim and the blog, the podcast and monet destiny piloted by people in the gallery could go see it, talk about it, etc etc. no matter where it, no matter the rating and and no matter what it contains. If its interesting we’ll talk about it.
Yay for Impermanence! Yes Arahan, totally and proudly Mab’s fault! 
Jay, the Lindens have this to say (taken from Soup blog 1 June 2009:
Second Life® Adult Content designation updated 1 June 2009 – from blog post by Cyn Linden:
Educational and cultural content will be exempted.
https://blogs.secondlife.com/community/features/blog/2009/06/01/adult-content-changes-in-summary
The complete wording in “Knowledge Base>Second Life Info>Legal Matters>Policies>Maturity Ratings: an overview” is this:
We may take into account whether apparent or reported adult content or conduct on a particular Region serves only an extremely limited or passive function, or an important educational or cultural function, and therefore would be appropriate for all Second Life audiences.
https://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417&task=knowledge&questionID=6010
Also this:
From Second Life Support Center Adult-oriented content controls FAQ:
Content is flagged as Adult in two ways:
Use of adult keywords in names and descriptions
Location on an Adult region
https://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417&task=knowledge&questionID=6010
OK I’m going to make a list because I think it will be very helpful in demonstrating the potential negative impact the PG rule may have. Going through the BiW Wiki nominations I identified the following work, according to Linden Lab policy, that would most definitely, or potentially, not be permissible on a PG sim, regardless of “cultural significance” –
RACHEL BREAKER – MAGICENCHANTED DREAM FACTORYNOBASE
TANITH CATTENEO – Untitled Protest
ARAHAN CLAVEAU – fuck me / shoot me
ARAHAN CLAVEAU – Injustice
BUTTERFLYSMASHER DANA – Various works
ICHIBOT NISHI – episodic.atomized
ICHIBOT NISHI & ARAHAN CLAVEAU – Beyond Human
ICHIBOT NISHI & SELAVY OH – playground.space
DEKKA RAYMAKER – 8 Platforms
DEKKA RAYMAKER – Adult Content–Age Verification
DEKKA RAYMAKER – Virgo Violated / No one is safe
NEBULOSUS SEVERINE – Just Fucking Die
NEBULOSUS SEVERINE – Look What You Made Me Do
STEPHEN VENKMAN – Family Portraits
TSUI YAMABUSHI – Brooklyn is Wanking
So, all that amazing work would potentially not have been seen at Brooklyn is Watching had it been PG and everyone followed the rules and BiW enforced them. And if any of that work was reported by a resident the artist and possibly the landowners could face at best a warning to remove it and at worst a suspension or ban.
You might look at that list and disagree, but remember you are not even allowed to swear in a PG area. There is a lot more work that isn’t in the wiki that would be under threat, like ‘Leave me the fuck alone’ left by Neb in the early days, that would fail for the title alone. You might also be thinking “what was offensive about Ichibot’s episodic.atomized?”, well, there were images of genitals on the desk in the little hospital, and outside there was a car crash with bloody, dismembered puppets that definitely be considered ‘mature’. Remember it is not just sexual themes, it is anything that is deemed as “broadly offensive”, and that is always in the eye of the beholder.
Your example of the Sistine Chapel is an interesting one Jay, in theory you would think it would be fine and yet the Cheen Pitney nude was censored at Burning Life and moved to a mature area, so anything can happen.
I have had my own art censored by LL, and it was in a mature sim hundreds of feet in the air, but because a bunch of people (including the charming Filthy Fluno) were offended by it and complained I was forced to remove it.
I’m not writing about all this because I like causing a fuss, it’s because I care about the Brooklyn is Watching project, I’ve supported it from the beginning and watched it evolve and it would be a terrible shame if the life and soul were sucked out of it because of limitations imposed by this move. The new sim IS bigger and better, and it is much more suitable as an art-space, nobody is disputing that, but we, the artists and fans have valid concerns.
Also, is Popcha no longer a sponsor? Is Boris moving with you?
So far as I know, there are no exceptions to PG for cultural significance. There IS an exception to Adult, so artwork that contains Adult themes would be permitted on Mature sims if it passes that test.
But who decides what is “culturally significant”? Sounds like a can of worms to me, just as it has been in real-life exhibits – witness Mapplethorpe or Serrano.
I keep hearing conflicting things about the “cultural significance” exemption. I’m going to try to find out more.
Arahan, if you don’t mind- can you give more details, or link to where the details are when your work had to be removed because some artists were offended by it? what was the work?
that example of the cheen pitney nude is troubling for sure.
remember nipples are still banned from the Birthday celebrations, but the ruling that you couldn’t have a child av in the same picture as a adult av has been dropped.
Jay, I’ll email you about that, too complex to go into here.
I did not know that Dekka, so the work I listed above by Venkman, Selavy & Ichibot would now be allowed. But “nipples are still banned”, I mean c’mon, this highlights the ridiculousness of the rules.
thanks Arahan- i’m trying to go into this with an open mind and just get as much info as I can- it IS very complex — no matter what happens it will be an interesting experiment in weather and how serious art can exist in SL for very long. I want to remain respectful of everyone involved and if a fight comes over something down the road I don’t want it to be over something stupid, and I don’t want to fight over something that is just there to be something to fight over- that would be totally boring.
I think you would agree Jay that the work I gave as examples in the list above provoked some really worthwhile discussion on this blog and the podcasts, and I am sure you would defend all of it as art. Imposing limitations I think is like a red-rag to a bull, you will now get people trying to break the rules that previously wouldn’t have bothered.
And to clarify when I said in my last post that the Selavy & Ichibot work would now be allowed I meant the ‘playground.space’ piece, ‘epidodic.atomized’ would still be problematic under the Linden guidelines. I cannot imagine how much less interesting the first year would have been without Ichibot’s brilliant contributions.
I think that list will be a good place to start a discussion of what is allowed and what isn’t- its always good to have concrete examples to talk about.
You’re probably right about the red-rag to the bull thing… we’ll see. I hope not.
Something to say?
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oh! one other thing walter- Stacey Fox (Sage Duncan) of KU asked that we not have the same brilliant green astroturf when we arrive at KU. That green was some kind of accident of history – a combination of whatever illustrations i had provided to Boris and the Popcha crew and that crews (or boris’s?) personal taste.
What kind of “grass” or “carpet” or “floor” should we have? any ideas out there?
I think my vote would be for it to be a more naturalistic grass texture, but Walter- i put it in your hands!
Left by jvanb on July 2nd, 2009