Forty Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...0503144_pf.html U.S. intelligence officials are cautioning that popular Internet services that enable computer users to adopt cartoon-like personas in three-dimensional online spaces also are creating security vulnerabilities by opening novel ways for terrorists and criminals to move money, organize and conduct corporate espionage. Over the last few years, "virtual worlds" such as Second Life and other role-playing games have become home to millions of computer-generated personas known as avatars. By directing their avatars, people can take on alternate personalities, socialize, explore and earn and spend money across uncharted online landscapes. Nascent economies have sprung to life in these 3-D worlds, complete with currency, banks and shopping malls. Corporations and government agencies have opened animated virtual offices, and a growing number of organizations hold meetings where avatars gather and converse in newly minted conference centers. Intelligence officials who have examined these systems say they're convinced that the qualities that many computer users find so attractive about virtual worlds -- including anonymity, global access and the expanded ability to make financial transfers outside normal channels -- have turned them into seedbeds for transnational threats. "The virtual world is the next great frontier and in some respects is still very much a Wild West environment," a recent paper by the government's new Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity said. "Unfortunately, what started out as a benign environment where people would congregate to share information or explore fantasy worlds is now offering the opportunity for religious/political extremists to recruit, rehearse, transfer money, and ultimately engage in information warfare or worse with impunity." [insert more false terror claims] There's much more to the story, but I clipped off some of the basic points of the article. This is f*cking ridiculous. We have something new like this every day in America. Some unrelated, completely innocent format or platform is called out as a gateway to terrorism. The majority of the time, they're topics the government knows jack sh*t about (like MMOs) and wholly misrepresents as a threat. Who the f*ck are these people who come up with this complete garbage? We have got to make this stop. We can't keep pointing fingers at everything remotely free and say "terrorists could abuse this". I really don't understand.... WHAT THE F*CK IS GOING ON HERE!?!?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svip Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 \o/ It is so easy to be labelled as a terrorist these days. What a wonderful world! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otter Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 The boogey-man's a-comin! What a f*cking joke. I can't wait until the day I meet a secret agent within Second Life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reincarnated Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 C'mon if they wanna play WoW they should do it on their own time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolyGrenadeFrenzy Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Once again everything RPG from play by post and virtual to Table Top RPG is coming under the scrutiny and threatened. Worse still it makes real charges for phony reasons to be drummed up on individuals as being compliant with terrorists, organized crime or what ever they damn well please. F*cking Technocracy Dictatorships! What is next, Message Boards and Chat Rooms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doink Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Brb, gonna go gank the president. Or would you guys rather do a 25 man raid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 (edited) I'd like to caution you all that 'the world' enables people to adopt any persona they choose in an actual three-dimensional envorionment. This may seem all rosy to some, but it creates security vulnerabilities by opening novel ways for terrorists and criminals to move money, organize and conduct corporate espionage. Let's ban the world people! f*cking reptillian-humanoids! Edited February 8, 2008 by Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlianAnt Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Now, normally I don't really care when a news article like this comes out, claiming a new venue an be used by terrorists to do some terrorizing. In fact, sometimes I agree, call me paranoid. But this is just.... bizarre. I really don't have any words to describe the stupidity the government, or people in general, have when it comes to video games. It's just blatant ignorance. I'm all for being 'pro-active' and such, but this is getting ridiculous. We all remember those hard core porn scenes in Mass Effect that make a Jenna Jamison film look like The Sound of Music, right? Oh, wait Metal up your ass! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gouveia Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I can totally see the Flight Simulator series be banned because of "Terrorist Flight Training Program"... I mean, WHAT THE f*ck ARE THOSE GUYS THINKING?!?!?! Leave our world alone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonshield Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I remember back in the day when they said D&D was Satan worship! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venom Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 The nerds are revolting against those who cast them out!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigGamer Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Are you sure this isn't from the Onion or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryst Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 OMG I didn't know I was helping criminals launder money in SL! I'm going to quit the game for ever then. Right after I make a billion dollars in my money laundering project I have going on. Art Dela Me-+-Ze Music Le Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Effy in Chains Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I can see it now: World of Warcraft: Al Qaeda Collector's Edition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Posted February 8, 2008 Author Share Posted February 8, 2008 Are you sure this isn't from the Onion or something? Unfortunately not. It's from the Washington Post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blind Joe Death Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 All I did when I read that was laugh, it's ridiculous. It's just getting out of control now. Something needs to be done and it needs to be done now. The next few years are very important in today's modern society. We basically need to choose what path we want to go down. And I certainly hope it's not the fear path where all our decisions are based on fear which will lead to us having no freedom or security, even though people seem to think this will give them security. It all seems to be happening in the USA and if the USA goes down that path which it seems to be going down then the rest of the world will follow. Come on you Americans, fight back! Anyways, I'd like to finish on a quote which was posted by Svip in another topic and I think it definitely refers to my post. "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronmar The Only Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 (edited) I wonder if everyone actually realizes this is f*cking McCarthyism except now Terrorism is the new communism. The political machine running on all cylinders. Edit: To quote above, wikiquote says that he did not actually say that, just that he published the book it was in. And I do know that wikipedia's are not "reliable". Good Ole Ben Edited February 8, 2008 by Ronmar The Only Visit Writers' Discussion Compilation of Works: From a Storyteller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illspirit Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 (edited) Are you sure this isn't from the Onion or something? Unfortunately not. It's from the Washington Post. You say that like that makes them any better. The Washington Post editorial staff is comprised of shrieking infants. Anyhow, this is old news. GamePolitics had a story about this last year sometime. One of the "studies" (conducted by some defense contractor or another for millions of taxpayer dollars) made a big deal about some oh-so-scary terrorist "training" game which ended up just being a mashup of footage from one of those battlefield of duty type games and the audio from a part of Team America dubbed over it.. *edit- http://gamepolitics.com/2007/11/12/prof-re...litical-fiasco/ http://gamepolitics.com/2007/03/02/mmo-terror/ Edited February 8, 2008 by illspirit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalkerBoh Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Yeah I bet runescapes full of terrorists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Are you sure this isn't from the Onion or something? Unfortunately not. It's from the Washington Post. You say that like that makes them any better. The Washington Post editorial staff is comprised of shrieking infants. Anyhow, this is old news. GamePolitics had a story about this last year sometime. One of the "studies" (conducted by some defense contractor or another for millions of taxpayer dollars) made a big deal about some oh-so-scary terrorist "training" game which ended up just being a mashup of footage from one of those battlefield of duty type games and the audio from a part of Team America dubbed over it.. I resent that comment. The Onion owns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gouveia Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 If Hillary wins the election, the games will be banned from the USA. I mean, she will encounter crime-related stuff on Barbie games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostwanted468 Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 i just ignore this crap its been a slow news day so they just pull some wild accusation out of there ass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEoS Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 If this isn't terrorism, I don't know what is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizmo Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 They want their tax. $$H New York Crew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 And then they say American Army (the game) isn't made to recruit more soldiers. They are just being ridiculous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raindancer Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 I blew up a few avatars on Second life the other day, does that mean I may be a suspect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonshield Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 I signed up for Second Life a while ago, because at the time, my life was so great I wanted another one. In my second life, I am still a paper salesman, my name is still Dwight - absolutely everything is the same...except I can fly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uno Carb Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Dude, I hear the Taliban is using Second Life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Posted February 9, 2008 Author Share Posted February 9, 2008 If this isn't terrorism, I don't know what is... How did you find my online dating profile vid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now