Pornography and Role Play in Virtual Worlds
One phenomenon not discussed here yet is the advent of pornography, and especially sexual role play, in virtual worlds like Second Life. Sexual role play is generally fairly benign, but a subculture of extreme and violent pornographic role play, including rape and snuff RP has developed.
Scylla Rhiadra posted message at 6:54 PM Wednesday 2 December 2009 GMT:
"What makes this particular form of pornographic role play so worrisome is that it is interactive, rather than merely passive as in most forms of porn. The experience of "being a rapist" is entirely immersive; it is for that reason much more emotionally engaging. Even more disturbing still, and unlike conventional pornographic games, it is interpersonal: the "rapist" is actually role playing with another real person, playing the "victim." That this kind of role playing is consensual (the rape victim "accepts" or can reject the animations that perform the rape actions) in some ways makes the effect of the role play even more dangerous. Every female who willingly and consensually accepts the role of rape victim is sending the implicit message that women find rape sexually arousing and enjoyable. A further complication is that many of the female "victims" are almost certainly played by men in real life, an element that is made possible by the complete anonymity of play with Second Life."