[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9046]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                              SECOND LIFE

  (Mr. KIRK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, Second Life, it's not just a new job or a new 
start, it's a virtual world online with over 6 million people. Run by 
the San Francisco company Linden Lab, Second Life allows anyone in 
their world to do anything. And the labs make $1 million each night.
  And what is offered in Second Life? My staff found rooms leading 
people to commit suicide, satanic worship, buying assault weapons, 
leading human sacrifice, and rape rooms; game players choose to rape or 
be raped. This content is totally inappropriate and leads to the 
objectification lessons that are especially inappropriate for young 
boys.
  Linden Lab claims that it provides a teen area, but the fine print of 
their user agreement clearly states that adults prowl in the children's 
area and children are in the adult area.
  Second Life's K Street lobbyists say, ``Trust us,'' but I think we 
should trust informed and aware parents. I urge Members to join me in a 
letter to the Federal Trade Commission worrying about the dangers of 
Second Life.

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