This is my attempt to live log the BlogHer07 conference from Second Life.
Session #2: Privacy, Exposure, Risk: Can you maintain safer spaces online?
When there are other people involved, blogging and second life can be just like sex. You can never guarantee it's 100% safe, but you can make it safer. And oh, by the way, safety can be in the eye of the beholder. Discuss where you draw the line to protect yourself, those close to you and your entire online/virtual community both around your individual blog, your avatar, or in larger more structured online communities, from family friendly sites to sex sites.
Moderated by Meghan Laslocky (avatar Miranda Tibbett) a freelance journalist who has reported on sex, identity, and technology issues for the San Francisco Chronicle and Salon.com. Regina Lynn, the sex-tech expert Sex Drive Columnist, Wired.com, author of The Sexual Revolution 2.0, and blogger joins us along with Lillie Yifu of Second Sex.
Audio fed into SL live from Chicago. After the initial panel discussion, the SL conference continues in text which means hopefully my notes will be better.
Tara Hunt
People ask me, aren't you worried about putting your whole life on line? But I have a trust in human nature ... in fact, I get more business out of being on line.
Ann Crady
Blogs about her children. Thinks about her posts in terms of how her children will feel about what she wrote when they are older. Benefits far outweigh the risks.
Susie Bright
(Some audio issues - missed intro) Picking up the talk right at "commie" and "pinko"... Early in life, she did not care what people thought, was completely 'out' in her conversations. She was advised that being out there was one of the best protections, because people will defend you if they know who you are. She is a disciplinarian when it comes to comments so readers don't worry that someone might say "Jane, you ignorant slut". If you say something controversial, you are going to get threats, which means you made an impact.
There is a lot of good conversation among the panelists, but the audio is a bit rough, making it hard for me to capture the thoughts clearly. The consensus seems to be that you can expect at some point to be the recipient of a negative comment, to the point of cyberbullying, but that beyond the obvious downsides of that experience, the upsides are rich.
In world, the conversations is a bit choppy, I'll have to go back and try to see if I missed anything fantastically important. The overwhelming theme: practice safe relationships!
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Session #3 Using technology as a distribution channel for the greater good. Galvanize personal action or bring awareness. Rochelle Robinson moderates the presentation and discussion of two case studies, including Green L.A. Girl (aka Siel)'s amazing Starbucks Challenge project. Walk away with a fistful of practical ideas. Then, with Cooper Munroe and Emily McKhann facilitating, we pick next year's case study! Learn about how you can help choose the issue we rally around. Introducing a new BlogHer community activism initiative: BlogHers Act!
The conversation continues in Second Life to discuss Second Life's role as a platform to do good. Second Life Panelists include Susan Tenby (Glitteractica Cookie) of TechSoup with the help of her volunteers, she recently launched a community of over 300 nonprofit staff members and volunteers in Second Life - and Ruby Sinreich (Ruby Glitter) founder and editor of OrangePolitics.org, and In Kenzo- the creative director of AMO Studio in Second Life and in Los Angeles producing award-winning short movies, machinima, videos, interactive design, arts experiences, television, web and print media.
Audio problems out of Chicago so we are going straight to the SL panel.
Glitteractica Cookie with Tech Soup is leading a nonprofit commons project to assist nonprofits to explore the virtual space, providing easy access, free space and assitance by volunteers. Anshe Chung corporation donated a sim to support the project, the launch is August 14th. Meetings are open to everyone on Friday mornings, join the Tech Soup group to be notified. NPSL is the tag that is used across blogs and social networks, and there is a Google group - just search Tech Soup in Google groups.
Ruby Glitter organized RootsCampSL, built on the BarCamp model. Ruby provided an outline of her talk (thanks Ruby!) that described the process by which RootsCampSL came to pass.
In Kenzo did a documentary based on Better World island, and is focused on taking media from Second Life back to the web and outside world.
All nonprofits should have a blog, and use one of the many free blogging hosts such as Vox, Ning, Blogger, Wordpress, etc. The fact that SL is a free and open platform, it makes a great way for small organizations and nonprofits to explore new ways to reach out and communicate.
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