Linden Lab is trying to put a more positive face on the upcoming birthday celebrations, but found themselves in another corner as they tried to slip, skate, and slide around the fact that while they’re launching as a family-friendly event and everyone is welcome, it was not always so warm and friendly, and they did themselves a dire disservice in how the whole event was managed..
Never Apologize
Their latest take on reality indicates a new level of spin on spin. First, it was the DMCA issue. The vague phrase “Linden Lab inadvertently disabled some inworld content this past weekend.” left more questions than answers, as usual.
Ordinal put it best:
An issue here, amongst others, is that the avoidance of actually detailing what happened when all of the non-infringing content was removed along with the infringing (though, I understand, lots of infringing animations remain) and dismissing it as “inadvertant” means that there is still doubt as to _what was meant to be done_ and _what will happen in the future_.
I mean, good god, saying “we meant to remove assets which were identified in a DMCA takedown but by mistake also removed assets which weren’t, sorry, won’t happen again” would not be too hard, if indeed that is the case. It isn’t as if that would actually cause _problems_ for LL – a lot of people think it in any case. Faffing around with “inadvertent” is not going to help at all. Be specific as to what the course of action is. Who could that hurt?
Deny History
Now, Linden is hoping the past can be forgotten and their new, all-embracing policy taken as a clean slate. The wounds might be a little too fresh, however, and besides – the kids’ sims look like a lot more fun.
“Before we kick off the event though, we want to spend a little time clarifying in order to clear up some of the confusion around the submission process and policy.All exhibits are PG, because we want to make the SL5B as inclusive as possible. “
This is a denial of both reality and an attempt to obscure their mismanagement of the celebration. There are plenty of comments on the blog supporting this. As well, the comment that “inclusion” is somehow facilitated by banning what – photos of kids with adults? Nipples? Well sure, I come from Canada so we’re a bunch of Liberal pinkos or whatever, but even here where it’s too cold to SHOW nipples 9 months of the year, it’s constitutionally illegal to arrest a WOMAN for showing their nipples let alone a man. Yeah, women can walk around topless in Canada if they want and no one can say a thing.
Now, I suppose covering up of nipples is hardly a deal-breaker on being able to be called inclusive. But their claim that specific applications to exhibit were declined BECAUSE the applicant came from a specific group is erroneous and false. No, there may not have been a “blanket ban” on avatars that look like kids, but there were refusals to accept applications because of that fact.
Katt Linden has further defended herself, pleading not be called a liar because of “a number of confused rumors have gone around, but there is not and never was any “ban” on any group. It’s an exciting rumor, but it’s simply not true.”
However, if there were rumors then maybe Everett Linden should be brought into the thread, who stated on Massively:
“Hey everyone…there’s a lot of misunderstanding here, so let me try to articulate our policy here.
Child avatars are welcome at the celebration. However, we do respectfully decline the submissions we received to create exhibits for the event.
Goreans, role-players, and members of the multitude of international communities are all welcome, and I hope you come.”
Put on a Happy Face
It’s hard not to wade into the debate about people who WILL exhibit on the Linden sims after being excluded and attacked by their patrons. Everyone has a choice, and it’s too much of a moral judgment to say that in being persecuted you should automatically not allow yourself to be co-opted by the persecutor. There are trade-offs and benefits, it’s a tough call.
But certainly it all fits into an overall theme – let’s put on a happy face. The SURGE is going well! This is community democracy in action! This is a celebration!
And leave the bad news to another Web site altogether – you know, the stuff about grid failures and shut downs, sudden unplanned restarts, issues with lost inventory. Hide it away, there’s certain things that if we don’t have pictures of maybe it will make stuff not TRUE somehow. Spin and then spin again.
“This was how we planned it all along. We never made any mistakes. This is happy stuff, this is the flowering of democracy, or creativity, or who knows what. And if we keep saying that, you might even believe it.”
I mean, people say all kinds of things. It’s how you read it I guess.
Like Philip’s line:
“For my part, I will start writing monthly blog posts like this to let you know about some of things that are on my mind.”
It really depends what you mean by “write” I guess – I mean, that doesn’t mean he said he’d actually POST them afterall.
What an astute rant, dear Dusan ! I love how you combine a sharp mind and a sharp tongue.
Let me ask one thing however : if you stop to think about it, especially in the light of M Linden’s track record, does the latest spin really surprise you ? The man strikes me as a very competent marketeer, and as such, the « oops, sorry for that, there is absolutely no policy on this I can assure you » fits perfectly. It’s arguably coming a bit late for the next logical step of dealing one on one with the people voicing dissent on the SL5B issue, but the approach is sound : minimise fuss from those not directly concerned by making the right noises, and keep the real troublemakers away from the public and from each other…
All right, I might just be in an overly Machiavellian mood tonight, and besides, what do I know about the Lab’s inner workings ? But it still strikes me that, to anyone prepping SL for either corporate or mass adoption, the early adopter community is as much a liability as it is an asset, and need to be slowly dissociated from the product without openly disgruntling it. The Lab has been exceedingly clumsy and heavy handed in this simply because it lacked any kind of real management competency —and that, it seems, is what is finally changing with the advent of M.
As I said, I might be entirely wrong, but if I’m not, I guess we can expect some public faces of SL to change as today’s key personnel will have to leave the limelight in favour of much slicker types. Cassandra hath spoken
Thanks Rheta – and sure, I agree….and in some ways, I really have nothing wrong with a more professional approach to all things SL, which may include paying more attention to the latter adopters than the early ones. But that should probably be done within the context of an articulated strategy. And as much as I don’t wish anyone ill, it should probably include a changing of the guard in the PR department. I really give Katt credit for trying but a lot of these issues had Robin’s hands in them. And if you’re doing PR, don’t you think the Linden Lab site itself should have a press release a little more current than April 22nd? And have a little more competence in dealing with DMCA, the birthday and trademarks all of which she led up?
Just a thought.
Oh…and P.S. I missed ya!
Dusan, you’re sharp as an eagle and right on target. To place the cherry on the top, I was delighted to read Rheta’s comment. Yes, this is exactly the kind of thing that “follows according to plan”. Forbid gambling, kick banks out, kick ageplayers out, now curb the mature content, and, oh, lest we forget, trademark lawsuits are around the corner, shortly followed by mandatory age validation. Yep. The future of the LL Resident relationship is as bright and shiny as an oil leak in the Atlantic.
The SL5B Drama: Crowdsourcing Fiasco Or Devious Plan?…
By now, it’s impossible that you haven’t heard the news from so many sources, including Linden Lab®’s own blog post on the subject. I would like to apologise in advance for not quoting all sources; so many people wrote from so many d….
I simply can’t chime in with your all being politically-correct here, sorry.
You claim they should have said, “We were trying to do a takedown and accidently took some stuff that we didn’t mean to take” yet that’s exactly what they DID say. I understood them to mean that. You did. What’s the fuss about? They really should be applauded for taking both a governance and DMCA action here, even if they didn’t do it perfectly, and if there are accidently removals, they seem perfectly capable of restoring them in good faith. So why all the snark?
As for the birthday, being inclusive means not forcing people to leave because it’s all Goreans snapping their chained slaves and creepy kids. And that’s a good thing. The public space needs to be kept more neutral and not hijacked by special interests. I guess I’m just not seeing the horror here if they stepped on a few toes of a few entitlement-happy freaks — big deal.
As for the “Fringe” idea — yes, such groups are on the fringe, let them stay on the fringe, I’m all for that : )
I’m sorry, but I cry “bullshit” on the idea that you could walk around topless on Yonge St. People don’t. I’m not buying it, and I used to live there and walk past there all the time.
Of course, it’s oh-so-Euro-sophisticated to bang on “backward Americans” for being “Puritanical” and not wanting breasts to be displayed. But most of the angst over child pornography in SL from RL authorities, and most press coverage of this issue came from Europe, not America.
Most of the time, artists that have to resort to showing nudes to make art are pretty much out of ideas, derivative, or exploitative. It’s hard to be original on this one — most are not.
quote :
Of course, it’s oh-so-Euro-sophisticated to bang on “backward Americans” for being “Puritanical” and not wanting breasts to be displayed. But most of the angst over child pornography in SL from RL authorities, and most press coverage of this issue came from Europe, not America.
What about the Janet Jackson breast
That was largely manufactured outrage, Sacha. Manufactured outrage by a group of politically-motivated religious extremists, and amplified by a right-wing-friendly corporate media. After all, the greatest amount of broadcast outrage was from Fox News … which is owned by Rupert Murdoch … need anything more be said?
I guess someone forgot to tell Picasso, Gauguin, Bonnard, Rodin, Goya, Klimt, Bacon et al that Boticelli and Rubens had done it all before…
I refer, of course to the suggestion that ‘most of the time, artists that have to resort to showing nudes to make art are pretty much out of ideas, derivative, or exploitative’. Art, literature, music are always derivative; it was ever thus, from the early ‘masters’ to the present day.
As for the way in which Lindens clarify their position, words matter. Saying something was done ‘inadvertently’ in the context in which it was written is not the same as saying ‘we made a mistake’. Many Linden Lab apologies come across as mealy-mouthed. However, I commend lauraplinden for her frankness, clarity and plain speaking on the issue – if more would follow her example, fewer residents would feel that they were being led up the garden path
Dusan, ta so much for missing me, and ta also for correcting my most obvious typos (/me points discreetly at the errant « about » and mistyped « me » in the second paragraph — you got the « most obvious » hint, didn’t you ?).
Although I have found myself quoted like I was agreeing with what happens, my attitude to management competency is a rather dispassionate one (might this be owed to the fact I am a member of the evil scheming sorority of execs IRL ? nah…) ; thus, when I spoke of competency, I did not imply to pass judgement on the policy this competency is applied to. I do in fact very much dislike where all this is leading, and honestly, I preferred barely management competent older generation of Lindens because in an odd way, they guaranteed SL would not evolve beyond the niche my kind has happily filled any time soon. Watching the first tell-tale signs of that state of things changing sends quite a chill down my spine.
Anyway, seeing I’m playing Cassandra already, I’ll go out on a limb and tell you more precisely what i mean by «slicker types» taking the limelight. I’m willing to bet the next half year or so will witness a.) Robin being pulled back from all contact with both the community and the general public, and b.) the rising star of Laura P., who has shown before this she understands spin and how it applies to the idea of sheathing the fist of steel in a silken glove, if you’ll pass me the expression. As to the policy this will accompany, the fates have shrouded it in mists yet
Anybody care to bet against me ?
Ah, Dusan… A slap on my wrist for not visiting your site more often; always insightful.
I’d like to come to the defense of good marketing and public relations. Per Rheta’s “The man strikes me as a very competent marketeer, and as such, the « oops, sorry for that, there is absolutely no policy on this I can assure you » fits perfectly,” I disagree.
One of the first things you learn in crisis communications is to acknowledge that there is a problem. You respond IMMEDIATELY, empathetically, and then explain that you are going to take action. You then go on to delineate how you are going to take action and you insert deadlines that make you accountable. This is how you begin to reinstate trust, the most valuable commodity of all when it comes to your audience.
M Linden’s career demonstrates – beyond a shadow of a doubt, and with a proven track record – that he is able to do that and that he has done so for his clients over the years.
Also, note that he is just getting his feet wet with an organization that is extremely talented and forward thinking, but also very very ill in one important area: public relations, community relations and marketing in general.
I fully expect – and will be sorely disappointed if this isn’t so – that M Linden will begin to assert himself as the company’s CEO by: 1) Firing the unbelievably incompetent Catherine Linden and 2) firing Lewis PR.
Together, these two have caused more damage to Linden Lab than all the technical issues combined.