June 08, 2006
MMO Questionnaire
Surveillance in Virtual Worlds
I'm conducting an investigation into surveillance within massively multiplayer online games such as World of Warcraft and Second Life. The questionnaire will take between 2 and 20 minutes to complete depending on how much information you're willing to supply. I'm interested in stories and observations so feel free to ramble.
Read more on my research below, or jump right to the questionnaire.
Many players are unaware of surveillance being conducted by game administrators, often justified as a means to enhance game play and control cheating. Players within some MMOs are also tracking and recording other player’s movements, and conversely, creating methods to protect the privacy of their own digital personas. The rise of surveillance (and counter-surveillance) techniques and technologies within these virtual worlds is an extension of the pervasive monitoring of individuals in real-world environments. Many real-world technologies (such as bugging, video recording and location tracking) are being reproduced in virtual worlds and can be classified as a form simulated surveillance. [posted by Christo on Selectparks]
Posted by jo at June 8, 2006 08:11 AM
