| The name "Second Life" has come to be | | | | around the trade of Linden dollars, and there are |
| synonymous with online virtual world. Launched in | | | | plenty of people pumping in hundreds of dollars |
| June 2003, Second Life boasts over 16 million | | | | (and earning even more back) into this virtual sim. |
| registered accounts with several million active | | | | Teen Second Life differs from Second Life in its |
| members. Letting users live out a fantastical | | | | scope and content. Because of age restrictions, all |
| version of their real life online, Second Life is easily | | | | mature or adult content is filtered out. This means |
| the most popular online virtual reality simulation in | | | | that a lot of interactions available to members in |
| the world. | | | | Second Life are blocked. A language filter also |
| Teen Second Life is an alternate version of | | | | actively removes any adult or abusive language. |
| Second Life targeted squarely at teenagers. | | | | Teen Second Life is much smaller in terms of |
| Previously, a lot of teenagers were lying to get | | | | total players (called 'residents') and the size of the |
| access to Second Life, where they were being | | | | virtual world. Only a few adults are allowed in the |
| exposed to adult content and language. Keeping | | | | game after passing a criminal check. So far, only |
| that in mind, a teen friendly version of Second | | | | educators and non-profit organizations have been |
| Life was created in Feb 2005 where teenagers | | | | allowed access to Teen Second Life. Their access |
| can interact live out a virtual life in a safe and | | | | is limited to certain sections of the game and |
| secure setting. | | | | work as counselors and educators to the players |
| To register for Teen Second Life, you have to | | | | in the game. |
| first verify your age. This can be done either via | | | | The adults allowed in the game form an important |
| a PayPal account, or through SMS activation. This | | | | part of the Educators Working with Teens |
| is an essential step to making sure that only | | | | project in Teen Second Life. Through |
| those between 13-17 get access to Teen Second | | | | collaborations with various Universities and |
| Life. | | | | non-profit organizations, Teen Second Life aims to |
| Teen Second Life is as rich in features as Second | | | | educate its teenaged members about various |
| Life. This means that you can create a virtual | | | | issues, ranging from career to drugs to |
| avatar from a wide variety of templates, get him | | | | environmental issues. |
| her a job, open a store, buy a house, get a car, | | | | In terms of graphics and performance, Teen |
| shop for clothing and shoes, and interact with | | | | Second Life remains solid. Although the graphics |
| other members. In other words, you can live out | | | | can't be compared to a modern PC game, they |
| a virtual existence mirroring (or improving) your | | | | get the job done quite adequately. In a game of |
| real world life. | | | | Second Life's complexity, this alone is a |
| The economy of Teen Second Life (and Second | | | | complement. |
| Life) is complex. The virtual currency is called | | | | Performance wise, Teen Second Life runs on the |
| "Linden Dollars" (after Linden Labs - the creators | | | | same excellent servers as its parent game, and |
| of the virtual world). Linden dollars can be earned | | | | thus, has hardly any lag or downtime issues. The |
| by doing jobs, buying and selling stuff, trading with | | | | game runs smoothly on most modern PCs |
| other members, or even purchased outright in lieu | | | | equipped with a moderately powerful internet |
| of actual money. A sophisticated economy has | | | | connection. |
| built up within the online virtual world centered | | | | |