If you have logged in recently you will notice a big message from Linden Labs about them updating the terms of service(TOS) for Second Life. You cannot skip it, as far as I could tell, so, if you are a hurry to get into Second Life because of a problem, meeting, etc, you may have to accept them before reading them. The main addition/change appears to be the addition of “binding, non-appearance-based arbitration” to allow avatars a new way to get help with claims totaling less than US$10,000. This will allow residents to settle minor disputes via binding arbitration by telephone or online. Lots of coverage from other blogs below.

Linden revamps arbitration in new terms of service Under the previous terms of service, residents were obligated to travel to San Francisco to submit to arbitration.

“The change is clearly a result of Judge Robreno’s order finding the previous arbitration clause in the terms of service unconscionable,” said Benjamin Duranske, a lawyer who writes about legal issues in virtual worlds at Virtually Blind.

Second Life’s terms had been in legal limbo since a Pennsylvania judge ruled that the terms were not legally binding in May. In motions in the case Bragg v. Linden Research, Judge Eduardo Robreno called Linden’s terms a “contract of adhesion.”

A Change to the Terms of Service We wanted to make you aware of a change to our Terms of Service (TOS) regarding the way that disputes are resolved between Linden Lab and Residents. You will be asked to agree to these Terms of Service the next time you log into Second Life.

Changes In The Terms of Service (Updated; Complete) Here is a comparison of the old and the new terms of service.

Linden Lab Changes Second Life Terms of Service: Non-Appearance Arbitration for Matters Under 10k, Must File Matters Over 10k in San Francisco Today, Second Life creator Linden Lab changed Second life’s Terms of Service regarding dispute resolution.

The move appears to be a direct result of the recent decision in the Bragg case finding the previous arbitration clause unconscionable. The new clause makes two significant changes, one that dramatically benefits small claimants, and one that makes it somewhat more expensive and burdensome to bring big claims.

Second Life Terms Of Service Tweak Favors The Little Guy A new Terms Of Service popped up today when people logged into Second Life. Of course, you had to click “I Accept” or risk losing access to your account, thus bringing up the same issues we’ve addressed before. Most will scroll past the mass of legalese unable to interpret any of it, but fortunately Virtually Blind has summarized the main points.

New TOS: LL has “small claims court” type process The TOS for SL is about to change, next time you log in you will be asked (Bragg and his court case might mean we should say forced) to agree to them. The change, as detailed here, is to allow an easier, and cheaper, small claims (up to US$10,000.00) between residents and SL to be settled out of court.

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