Virtual Land Grab Triggers Real Lawsuit
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Marc Bragg, aka Marc Woebegone in the popular MMORPG "Second Life," apparently found a way to hack the land auction system. Linden Labs took action against him for this, and he's crying foul -- all the way to a U.S. court. Keep reading to find out what happened, and why you should care.
In Linden Lab’s Second Life, you can pursue an online life that’s entirely different from your real one. Some users have bought up land, run nightclubs and stores, taken up journalism or other careers, all from the privacy of their own computers. There have been book signings, space station openings, and more. Now, into this imaginary world, one of its denizens is inviting the U.S. justice system, by filing a lawsuit many say will not stand up in court.
Let’s take a look at the case. Marc Bragg, the plaintiff in the case and an attorney in his own right, has helpfully posted a press release about the lawsuit. I don’t know about you, but when I start seeing press releases for lawsuits, I figure publicity is at least as strong a motive as seeking actual restitution. The press release claims that Bragg is seeking damages in the thousands “for a virtual land deal gone sour.” He is accusing Linden Labs of being in breach of contract and violating the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
Here’s the meatiest part of the release, as far as I’m concerned: “Marc Woebegone, known in the real world as Marc Bragg…learned of a way to purchase virtual land significantly below market values, and invested thousands of US dollars purchasing land in an attempt to resell this land at a profit. Bragg claims that employees of Linden Research, Inc., the company who creates, manages and maintains this online world, allowed the auction to be created, and after Bragg paid US dollars for the land, terminated Bragg’s account, without explanation, without citing any violation of community policy, and have since refused [to] offer a credit or a refund. Bragg’s calls to customer service and Linden Lab’s legal counsel have gone unanswered. Bragg’s final option? Seek relief in a real court.”
Well, that’s Bragg’s story, anyway, and we can assume he’s sticking to it. But there are more than two sides here, and it’s enough to set many Second Lifers abuzz. At it turns out, the situation isn’t as simple as Bragg would like to portray it.
Next: What Exactly Did Bragg Do? >>
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