my whole world rests on those tiny wings

So nearly a year ago, I wrote something which mentioned the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR. Jack wrote again--yes, that Jack--and told me that while referring to the official (at least, I thought official) GDPR link, but he told me he'd written a sort of "beginner's primer" to the GDPR. So, fine, I'm linking that, but I still don't think that goes far enough. Where in all of what was said on that 'beginner' link involves Article 11 and Article 13, which are, I thought, the deeply concerning sections? Or is that something else entirely, and I am misremembering what the GDPR is?

In the meantime, this was from a while back (I think during 2018's very hot summer), but I still think it's worth covering. Also, you should know, while this is anonymized as to actual people, I'm leaving in references to the estate, so...astute readers will be able to line up initials. Sorry about that, but...anyway.

[21:09] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: peeks in
[21:09] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: a little bit of (non Caledon) news, just as a public service
[21:09] Exxxxxx Yxxxxxxx pokes [Dxx] in the nose
[21:09] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: [Axxxxxx] tipped me off on this
[21:09] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: hey [Exxx]!
[21:10] Exxxxxx Yxxxxxxx: Hiya, Gov!
[21:10] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: turns out, Inworldz is in a bit of a struggle, they had paypal issues apparently
[21:10] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: InworldZ is closing
[21:10] Sxxxxx Gxxxxxx: there's been a lot of older accounts getting hacked and sending out phishing links to a bunch of random groups lately.

I'm not sure whether Mm. [Sxxxxx] was talking about InWorldz or here, but considering it's a huuuuge problem here, it probably was a problem there, too.

[21:10] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: for those who don't know, they are, well, they are trying to fight the closing is the last tidbit I heard
[21:10] Exxxxxx Yxxxxxxx: oof

Last I heard was that they had closed, I haven't heard anything since.

[21:10] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: that's on SL, [Sxxxxx]?
[21:10] Sxxxxx Gxxxxxx: yessir.
[21:11] Sxxxxx Gxxxxxx: seen it happen in 3 separate groups already
[21:11] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: wow.
[21:11] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: sad.
[21:11] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: anyway, long story short about inworldz, i know a LOT of Caledon people have land there
[21:11] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: and it may be 'make or break' for them in the next... I dunno, short period of time
[21:12] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: I do respect what they are doing there, considered it myself once (private grid) and would love to see them survive.
[21:12] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: long read
[21:12] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: if I remember correctly, that's what happened when they used paypal
[21:13] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: most of you know that I'm militantly 'anti paypal' even when tier is late by a resident
[21:13] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: this, precisely, is why
[21:13] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: well it was a loan company that they had been using then
[21:13] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: yes
[21:13] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: as I understand it, paypal bought that company
[21:13] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: the loan company got taken up by paypal
[21:14] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i've dealt with paypal as a (RL) merchant, credit card processor
[21:14] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: they are not to be trusted

I would tend to agree, but for people on my level of transactions, they're kind of the only game in town, so...I deal with the dysfunction.

[21:14] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: then things changed, imagine that
[21:15] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: yah, basically even the tiniest mistake or dispute goes in paypal's favour, as, guess who keeps your money when it gets 'locked up'?
[21:15] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: remember something, Pay-Pal started off great BUT then got eaten up by Ebay, uhoh, then Ebay spat it out
[21:16] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: and oddly it produced a lot of super rich people too
[21:16] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: so that tells me a lot of money was diverted
[21:16] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: so it is ebay tainted
[21:16] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i dont use them much, don't know
[21:17] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: I only use them to make small direct payments
[21:17] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: anyway, my main point I guess, the owner of inworldz is telling people to 'dispute' her or something so people can get their money out of paypal

Didn't hear if this worked, either. Personally, I don't think it did.

[21:17] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: if I understand it correctly
[21:18] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: probably best to check whatever the latest is, but, basically, there are people with 100's and 1000's invested in any online community
[21:18] Emilly Orr: So, with what you're saying, people will file disputes against the Inworldz owner, and if PayPal decides not to proceed, PayPal will keep the funds?
[21:19] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: let me check what the owner(?) of inworldz says about this, it's not my fight
[21:19] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: sec I'll get a link
[21:19] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: Paypal has a lien on Inworldz
[21:20] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i'm not sure what their current strategy is
[21:20] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: they aren't either
[21:20] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: just have to wait for more news
[21:21] Emilly Orr: Great.
[21:21] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: one thing I have perspective on, over 12 years...
[21:21] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: is that if the communities start dying out, it's bad for all the remaining ones.
[21:21] Emilly Orr nods
[21:22] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: there was a time (not these days tho!) I probably could have made a difference in something like this
[21:23] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: it's not uncommon, or at least it wasn't, for estates to kinda help each other out here and there
[21:24] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: for instance, Mr [Txxx] taking on Babbage basically saved the community (yes I know there were some others who would also have, of course)

There were, yes, but the plain fact was, Babbage as a sim was going to go away. There were several people who wanted it saved, and the owner was willing to sell, but had there not been that support, Babbage would have evaporated into digital mist, like so many other former realms.

[21:24] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: the other reason I'm mentioning this, sometimes, there are benefactors who can easily make a difference, who are online here
[21:25] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: in any case, the more buzz they get, the better chance they have at inworldz.
[21:27] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: if there's any demand for it, I can talk about Caledon + personal situation if anyone wants to hear (main summary, we are fine)
[21:28] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: hears crickets, so I'll let everyone get back to their evening :)
[21:28] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: Ahhh. Read the post from there this morning. Sounded like there wasn't any viability problem until the lender created one. Just the relatively common business practice of using short term loans to average out short term expense / income fluctuations.
[21:29] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: (Rubs his wings together)
[21:29] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: Hi [Dxx] :) I'd like to hear what you have to say on Caledon, and I'm very glad to hear that we are doing fine :)
[21:29] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: hai :)
[21:30] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: Hey :)
[21:30] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: tries to summarise... basically, I've not been on enough, which is partly why our occupancy is a bit lower than I'd like, even though we are still quite ok
[21:31] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: the plan is as follows: go around, be on more, keep updating commonwealth stuff, then re appraise where it's all at
[21:31] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: if occupancy is still falling off, I may have to make adjustments, but, eh. I'm so busy with RL biz, it's essentially cheaper for me to let a couple regions worth of land be open
[21:32] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: Always good to do an assessment, yes :) Provided RL cooperates (we all know that comes first)
[21:32] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: costs more time to adjust regions, than it's worth, and we are still in the black by some margin
[21:32] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: yay :)
[21:33] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: what's going on: biz is still in demand as ever, and, i'm in the process of buying a house RL, trying to figure out which one to make an offer on 

He has since bought the house, though the patches of disconnect from the grid is still happening. He's doing what he can, but as he said, his RL consulting comes first, and has to. I think we all understand that.

[21:33] Txxxx Txxxxxxxxx: Don't let the Cat Girls distract you! You may miss the fine print.
[21:33] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: Oh congratulations!
[21:33] Txxxx Txxxxxxxxx: xD
[21:33] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: meaning, I'm packing up the current house, and it's over 100F outside all day, and not a lot cooler at night
[21:33] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: fine print? meow....
[21:34] Txxxx Txxxxxxxxx: xD Congrats. I just moved in 91 degree heat. I share the wealth. Hah.
[21:34] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i'm not leaving OC, which is complifying things of course
[21:34] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: yah way too hot for this.
[21:34] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: we have a famously bad real estate market
[21:35] Txxxx Txxxxxxxxx: I probably couldn't afford a house there as a teacher unless I sold a kidney.
[21:35] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: anyway that's the gist of it all, plus, I took a day for myself yesterday... went surfing at Trails
[21:36] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: yah it's a nasty market here... sigh. but, i've already got a house here so it's more of a trade kinda
[21:36] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: is bone tired as the waves had serrrrious power at trails
[21:37] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: not even that big, but wow what a push, i think it's the south swell
[21:37] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: which is why i wasnt on yesterday
[21:37] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: Good that you got some relaxation time, though :)
[21:37] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: that, and the classic 'yep i missed a few sunscreen spots' dorky tan
[21:37] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: Ouch.
[21:38] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: the plan is to stay alive a bit longer if possible, through cardio :)
[21:38] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: :D
[21:38] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: yah remember the ah, the 'bad guy' in the Avatar movie with the blue people?
[21:38] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: WHICH ONE?
[21:38] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: he had claw marks on his face kinda?
[21:38] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: the... heh yea
[21:38] Cxxxxxx Fxxxxxxx: oh that one
[21:38] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: the really aggressive one
[21:39] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: well guess what happens if you sorta forget to finish one side of your face...
[21:39] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: oopsie.
[21:39] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: you get a sunburn pattern like that.
[21:40] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i'm sort of a walking ad for Monster energy drink :(

Could be worse.

[21:40] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: awwww, ouch
[21:40] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: I hope you have some aloe
[21:40] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i do
[21:41] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i feel guilty taking leaves off it tho
[21:41] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: awesome then, the burned skin really drinks that up :)
[21:41] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: it's not the plant's fault i was stupid
[21:41] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: yes :)
[21:41] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: they grow back, think of it like getting a hair cut for the plant :)
[21:41] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: aloe has strangely thick leafs
[21:41] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: yups
[21:41] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i feel bad, it's not like just picking off a maple leaf
[21:42] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: dew eet
[21:42] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: hehe
[21:42] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: :D
[21:42] Emilly Orr: It'll grow back. Succulents are forgiving.
[21:42] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: then you got to slice it up to get the goup to come out
[21:42] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i've been abusing this one for a long time
[21:42] Emilly Orr: Or split the leaf. Either way works.
[21:43] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: it's probably screaming to the Avatar spiritual thingie by now, and pointing a finger at me
[21:44] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: lol
[21:45] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: I'd chance it, sunburn on my Irish skin is no joke :)
[21:45] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: yah it doesn't take long... and this was down by the san onofre nuclear reactor
[21:46] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: yikes
[21:46] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i have thought of an art project I'd like to do, if ever I became an artist
[21:46] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: what's that?
[21:46] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: the san onofre power plant has a very distinctive appearance
[21:46] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: lol yes it does lol
[21:46] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: let me find a picture...
[21:46] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: I know it well
[21:47] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: that's for anyone who has never seen it
[21:47] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: heh
[21:48] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: it's a verrry distinctive shape.
[21:48] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: my art project would be as follows:
[21:48] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: quite a landmark
[21:48] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: two VERY LARGE cloth triangles, one covering each dome.
[21:49] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i would leave it to the viewer's interpretation
[21:49] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx chuckles
[21:50] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: not stretched too tightly, and absolutely covering the tops.
[21:50] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: A coat of paint wouldn't hurt either.
[21:50] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: heh
[21:50] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: i'd call it: Welcome To California
[21:50] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: T-shirt triangles with a bit of padding?
[21:51] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: the domes would supply all the padding necessary
[21:53] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: The title is great :)
[21:53] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: Something one actually could do in augmented reality..
[21:53] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: indeed! looks balefully at his old project computer for that.
[21:57] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: (deals with a RL distraction) ~ I've got to log, but by all means, if anyone can gather help for Inworldz, spread the word.
[21:57] Zxxxx Exxxxxxx: Take care, [Dxx]
[21:57] Dxxxxxx Sxxxx: ^^
[21:57] Wxxxxxxxx Jxxxxxxx: Journey well.

That was it, and I probably left in too much beyond the actual InWorldz coverage, but hey. For what it's worth, there you go. If anyone knows anything else, let me know.

sorry you, sorry me, sorry every in between

There's an insane amount of things to announce today. So this is going to be a potentially long and meandering post. Bear with me.

First off, Winterfell has banned RedZone from its sims. This surprises me not at all. Honestly, I'm surprised Caledon hasn't banned it outright, but to be fair, RedZone--and its endless imitators--market to fear. There's not much an estate owner can do to combat that fear, because it comes directly from ignorance about how Second Life works, as well as how computers and similar technologies work.

Next, there's a new post from Axi Kurmin about the uphill battle Soft Linden's having getting RedZone--and its endless imitators--yanked like the toxic weeds they are. It mentions a YouTube video leaked by several sources that seems to be on how easy it is to use the RedZone system to get access to potential passwords of RedZone users. The best comment on the link I used first:

"Seems to me that if RZ and Xue goes downhe's trying his best to [take] SL down with the wreck."

Yeah, it really does.

(Just for verification, match the fuzzy-vision blue blur of hair shape and face shape, as well as vocal tone in the supposedly "fake" video, with this one, which is a full-face authentically-voiced zFire talking about jumping out of an airplane. This is the same guy. Does he think we're that stupid?)

InWorldz, as of this writing, has also banned RedZone and RedZone-like devices.

So the question becomes, why hasn't the Labs? Soft Linden is doing all he can, but he really seems to be the one guy on the job. Is he receiving any support from superiors? Does he have a team? Or is it just him fighting his uphill battle while the upper management tell him it's no big deal?

According to the Alphaville Herald--not noted for their journalistic integrity--the hackers have been hacked, but apparently the blackhats went down to whitehats, or at least greyhats (it's hard to friggin' tell who's who). They "wont" release the database, but they recommend zFire remove the password tracking capabilities of RedZone.

Yeah, like that's going to happen.

One of the comments to that entry is notable. This from Scylla Rhiadra:

Linden Lab needs to act NOW to re-establish the confidence of its customers in the system. This is no longer just about RedZone: it's about the security vulnerabilities in SL itself that have made this kind of disaster possible.

I agree with her, but here's the main thing:

* Premium account-holders' confidence staggered when the openspace/homestead debacle went down the way it did.

* Merchant confidence plummeted when Zindra popped as a continent and all the Adult businesses were forced to relocate.

* Now a large majority of people are freaking out on some level, from "ZOMG this man I don't know has my home address/SL password/alt names!" to "ZOMG LL has been haxx0red!" (which, as we know, has happened at least twice in the past, so it's a reasonable concern under the hysteria).

And from another RedZone thread on Tateru Nino's blog comes this stunner (to me, at least):

"IBM were right after all to abandon corporate activity in Second Life. This sort of compromise was what they feared.

Hence their active work using Opensimulator and their 'walled gardens'."

Breen Whitman said that, and I'd love to find confirmation for it...anyone? Because IBM has been one of the strongest supporters of Second Life; if that's changes, SL as a concept has serious, serious problems.

Miss Nino, later on, tackles zFire Xue's statement directly:

"For me, the primary take-away is "Do not challenge people to try to break into your site if that is not what you want them to do.'"

Yeah, didn't we all learn not to do that when Gawker got hacked? Come on, people!

So let's go back to the Jira That Will Never Die, not that it so much matters anymore.

Emerald Seaside: "Sigh. Seems that the Linden's don't know what each other of them is talking about Soft Linden says it does belong in a JIRA and Oz Linden says it doesn't."

It would be nice if Lindens could agree on what's official policy, yes.

Unya Tigerfish: "This is a clear breach not only of ToS, but of US privacy laws. US law states that the criminal act of 'invasion of privacy' takes place when there is (for example):

* Public disclosure of private facts (my alts are my private matter, and only mine)

or

* False light: the publication of facts which place a person in a false light, even though the facts themselves may not be defamatory. And being labelled alt of someone is a false light, as the IP gathering is less than perfect.

Maybe we could find a US resident willing to sue?"

I'm actually hoping this doesn't end up in court, because there'll be bad precedent either way.

Arkady Arkright: "I see Oz Linden's comments as a deliberate attempt to sweep the whole issue under the carpet - 'Mention it again and I'll ban you" - a disgraceful example of a company ignoring its user's wishes by invoking a technicality."

Please. This is how the Labs do business, people. Obfuscation; confusion; misdirection. Oh, and of course layoffs.

Masami Kuramoto: "Oz, how many more votes on this issue does it take for you to realize that personalized media playback without user confirmation is a design flaw? More than 300 residents can see the problem. Why can't you?"

I'd adore an answer to that.

zFire Xue shows up: "Dare I challenge Linden Labs to investigate the viewers, inventory, and chat logs between GothGirl Demonia and myself.

"RedZone cooperates with Linden Lab, all they need to do is ask.

"[...] RedZone has full support in working with people."

Right. I have several questions on this.

1. Does he mean "I dare to challenge the Labs", or does he mean "Dare, I challenge"? In the latter case, does he mean Dare Munro specifically, or another Dare?

2. RedZone cooperates with Linden Labs? Really? When Soft comes out and returns his vendors, and he puts them right back out? When Soft delists his listings on the Marketplace, and he puts them up for sale again? That's cooperating with the Lindens?

3. Full support in working with people? Password-skimming of his own userbase equates "full support"?

Micaela Darkwatch: "I would seriously like to recommend Linden Lab employees check out the Redzone forums.

"By most accounts, this product is worshipped for it's alt account detection ability. When the HUD came out people were excited about going to other sims and being able to 'click' on other avatars to find out if they were in the database or to build onto the database. Some Redzone users want the ability to ban the HUD users on their sims, because they don't want to be scanned. Because it's an invasion of their privacy.

"Seriously Lab, this isn't a joke any longer. This isn't paranoia. You have my information. You can tell that I'm not a griefer, copybotter etc. I am a premium member. I contribute to the community just as much as these people.

"Close the media hole."

I thought quoting her whole comment was worthwhile, because this is indicative of the level of complaints--it's not just 'free accounts', it's premium members, some of whom have been members of SL for several years. Merchants, estate owners. Major players. When will the Labs listen?

Some small bit of levity before I tie this up until next time. This from one of the many, many hunt groups proliferating across the web:

[20:38] Raindrop Lowbeam: Hey Couch Pototatos! How's the hunting?
[20:39] Thane Woodford: Been making things lol
[20:39] Raindrop Lowbeam: big things! laughs
[20:39] Anya Flux: a little more difficult than i expect, but i can solve it
[20:40] Vesper Wildrose: I am a french fry.
[20:43] Thane Woodford wonders what is a french fry about
[20:44] Beautiful Shamen: 3 inches?

I know, I know, really bad joke. But I thought it was funny.