Second Life Avatar Sued

Have you ever heard of the SexGen Platinum? If you’re a regular on Second Life, you might well have done – you might even own it.   Nowit’s at the center of a lawsuit, which most believe to be the first real life suit between avatars.   So what is SexGen Platinum, anyway? It’s the creation of Kevin Alderman (knownon the site as Stroker Serpentine), who realized that people who had avatars on the popular site wanted their characters to not only have realistic genitalia, but also to have them able to have sex.  SexGen Platinum, which he sells for $45 through his company, Eros LLC, is a piece of code that lets the avatars take on sexual positions. It’s placed in various objects, such as a bed,then the user clicks on the menu and can take part in a choice of sex acts.   All was well until someone broke the code and began selling unauthorized copies of SexGen. According to a suitAlderman filed last month in Tampa, Fla., the culprit is someone who uses an avatar named Volkov Catteneo. While Alderman allows uses to transfer his products, he doesn’t allow copying.  “We confronted him about it and his basic response was, ‘What are you going to do? Sue me?’” Alderman said. “I guess the mentality is that because you’re an avatar …that you are untouchable. The purpose of this suit is not only to protect our income and our product, but also to show, yes, you can be prosecuted and brought to justice.”   Second Life,created by Linden Labs has become big business. A number of major companies have a presence there, and beyond your basic avatar, everything costs money. Virtual money, known as Lindens, can beexchanged for U.S. currency ay 270 Lindens to the dollar. Linden Labs has already been forced to stop gambling in Second Life for fear it might violate gambling laws.   Alderman is just one ofmany entrepreneurs on Second Life. He has a shop there, and is investing money in a motion capture machine that will make the sex moves of avatars more realistic. His July 3 suit accuses VolkovCatteneo – or at least his currently unknown owner – of violating copyright and trademark protections by copying, distributing and selling copies of Sex Gen. Alderman is seekingunspecified damages.