Eliza Gauger
Culture

Big Brother Goes Second Life

Let’s all be terribly meta here for a moment, shall we? Endemol, the medicinal-sounding company that produces the reality show Big Brother, is planning to launch a season of BB in Second Life. Participants, or at least their online representations in the form of cartoon-like avatars, will be confined in a house with transparent walls, […]

Let’s all be terribly meta here for a moment, shall we? Endemol, the medicinal-sounding company that produces the reality show Big Brother, is planning to launch a season of BB in Second Life.

Participants, or at least their online representations in the form of cartoon-like avatars, will be confined in a house with transparent walls, and the winner will become the owner of a whole Second Life island.

Which amounts to a several thousand dollar prize, more if they’re chipping in for a lifetime rental agreement (which I somehow doubt).

I’m missing the point, though. Glass walls? Come on. Nothing is private in Second Life. As Warren Ellis said recently, if you want privacy, turn off your computer.

Second hype or Second Life? [BBC]