Long Time Merchant DRD Suspended Over Account Sharing

[Cristiano]

It seems LL has decided to crack down on account sharing and suspended a large merchant, DRD, with no warning. As usual the discussion of this got shut down in the SL forums, but here is the reddit thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/secondlife/s/j2QwNl3g9X

DRD Facing Unfair TOS Enforcement

[DRD Facing Unfair TOS Enforcement

**FORUM MESSAGE:**

*Hello fellow merchants and creators!!*

*I am writing to bring up a severe issue that has recently affected my business, Deathrowdesigns (DRD), which has been running since 2008 in Second Life. Most of you might know us, especially during the time of Halloween.*

*Just recently, Second Life finally got around to cracking down on TOS infringement of account sharing and deleted our entire marketplace listing – over 2000 listings down the drain.*
*They kept our account on hold -> without any warning or reason.*
*This has put a severe dent in our operations,*

*Despite pointing out that Section 4.1 of the TOS mentions the possibility of obtaining written permission for sharing an avatar, support has consistently denied us a clear path or process to obtain this consent. We’ve received messages implying that sharing the account in any capacity will result in termination, which feels particularly targeted, especially considering other businesses appear to operate without similar scrutiny.*

*Although my account is now released to me and me only, I cannot function or do business alone. DRD has well over 10,000 customers and over 3000 items that we manage. Handling all of it single-handedly really just isn't an option and manager solutions are just not there.*
*It's just not possible for me to operate DRD on my own. I have my actual sister and our amazing CSR, Charlotte Bailey, without whom we wouldn't have been the success we are today.*

*This does not only feel unfair but also goes to what is reasonably expected of a business in Second Life to be able to run operations when so greatly limited effectively. If other companies, such as Jessica Chung's, can operate 24/7, then indeed they are also sharing accounts. Why are we being singled out?*

*I ask for the support of the community and their voice in this matter. We should sort out how a business person can run his business without landing into such punitive actions that actually might mean a loss of livelihood.*

*. Thank you so much for reading about our situation. Any advice, support, or suggestions would be great.*

Extra info:

!(mpszq2f5pd6d1 " \"You may not sell, transfer or assign your Account or its contractual rights, licenses and obligations, to any third party (including, for the avoidance of doubt, permitting another individual to access your Account) without the prior written consent of Linden Lab. Linden Lab reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to manage and control the number of Accounts that you may establish and maintain.\"#Deathrowdesigns Residentsaid 3 hours agoI am almost certain that other businesses, such as Jessica Chung’s, are not managed 24/7 by a single person on their avatar. There has to be a way for businesses to operate effectively. I would like to know the process for obtaining written consent for sharing an avatar for business purposes, as per Section 4.1 of the TOS.")

[https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden\_Lab\_Official:Permitting\_Others\_to\_Access\_or\_Transferring\_Second\_Life\_Accounts](https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Permitting_Others_to_Access_or_Transferring_Second_Life_Accounts)
**Your password and its confidentiality are what protects your inworld content, your account, and any information associated with your account.**
**Should you give another person access to your account, you do so at your own risk; that is, if you permit someone to access your account, you are responsible for what that individual does while using your account.**



Hello Deathrowdesigns Resident, Thank you for your response. We have reviewed your account and are now releasing it back to you.We have successfully reset your password to better enable you to regain access to your account. A separate email with instructions has been sent via our automated system. Please follow the instructions in that email to complete the password reset process. For your security, the link in the email will expire after 24 hours, so please make sure that you use it right away.
**Unfortunately, as I stated in my previous response, Support is unable to provide this permission you've requested and there is not currently a way to obtain this consent.**


Thank you for releasing my account and resetting the password. I have received the instructions via email and will follow them promptly.I would like to reiterate that obtaining permission for sharing an avatar is mentioned in Section 4.1 of the TOS. It’s essential for businesses like mine to have the flexibility to manage operations effectively. You mentioned that Support is unable to provide this permission, but I believe there must be a way for businesses to obtain this consent, as highlighted in the TOS.Moreover, you can’t tell me that Jessica Chung is awake at her desk 24/7 managing her avatar. There should be a feasible solution for business operations.I will also explore the feedback portal for suggestions on improving store management without sharing accounts.




# Sorry for the mess,

# Thank you so much for reading about our situation. Any advice, support, or suggestions would be great.
[/QUOTE]

 

[Cristiano]

I will say I was amused in the process of making their case, they threw Jessica Chung under the bus lol.

 

[Cindy Claveau]

Everyone reading: The next Content Creators meeting is Thursday, June 20 at 1 pm SLT. Go raise hell!

I'm not sure I see this working out well for LL.

 

[Soen Eber]

With some of the major products out there requiring a high level of professionalism in diverse skill sets, it's kind of hard to imagine how some of those accounts CAN'T be shared just because there are so many people involved in them. There really should be some form of semi-corporate account with multiple stakeholders contributing.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Long time ago I once was in one of the citizen's meetings Philipp Linden held on short notice. I still remember how his avatar first appeared, and then said to us this: "This is Philipp's Assistant typing. He's stuck somewhere and will be with you in a few minutes."

I am pretty sure the ToS in terms of account sharing back then was not much different then it is today. So even LL is not above account sharing.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

Can someone give a too long, didn't read version of what account sharing is and why it's banned? Just from the name I'm not clear what is wrong with it and why it would get you banned.

 

[Sid]

The big land baron where I rent my parcel from is 24/7 available on the same account name.
Now, either she never sleeps or there are multiple people active on the same account.

I totally can see, why LL isn't really happy with people sharing the same account, it is a source for possible drama, especially in the semi professional field.
But the blunt way a Linden moderated that thread, really is so LL. They will never learn how pr and customer care works.

 

[Lori Claremont]

Can someone give a too long, didn't read version of what account sharing is and why it's banned? Just from the name I'm not clear what is wrong with it and why it would get you banned.

Account sharing is allowing more than one person to access an SL account. It's banned because LL says it's banned (it's in the TOS as forbidden).

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

Account sharing is allowing more than one person to access an SL account. It's banned because LL says it's banned (it's in the TOS as forbidden).

Gocha.... I guessed what it was by the name but wasn't clear on why that was a bannable offense. I'll keep that in mind...

 

[Beebo Brink]

Gocha.... I guessed what it was by the name but wasn't clear on why that was a bannable offense. I'll keep that in mind...

It's a security issue -- for multiple people to use the same account, they also have to share the password. And it would be incredibly easy for one of those people to change the password, empty the Lindens and abscond. Much drama ensues.

So officially, one person uses one account and never provides access credentials to anyone else.

The best solution would be to create a business model where multiple single-user accounts can operate under a brand name that is not actually tied to a specific user. Plus some corporate structure for owner/CEO and various roles with different authority levels, similar to a group.

 

[Cindy Claveau]

"Multiple people" makes me wonder what they'll do about alts. A lot of people have multiple avatars.

 

[Beebo Brink]

"Multiple people" makes me wonder what they'll do about alts. A lot of people have multiple avatars.

That is not a security breach. Each alt has an account that only one person uses.

 

[Essence Lumin]

I use a web host that has thought carefully about these things, NearlyFreeSpeech.NET Web Hosting. The issues are somewhat different since there are no av's or money involved (they are prepaid, no c/c on file) to name a couple of things. They distinguish between a membership, an account and a site. Part of their explanation is here. I've put it in spoilers only because for many readers it would be boring and irrelevant, not because it is nsfw or anything.

Spoiler

Q. What's the difference between an 'account' and a 'membership?'


A "membership" represents you as an individual person (not a company, group, club, or organization). It's how you identify yourself to us, and how you access our services. If you're a US worker, it's like your social security number except, you know, less social and more secure. And, in most cases, less number-y.

An "account" is how you pay for our services. It contains the funds that you use to purchase hosting. You'll need at least one. You may create more, if you want, but you don't have to. Accounts also hold hosting-related assets, like web sites, domains, and database processes. Just as one membership can have several accounts, one account can fund several different assets.

Accounts also contain contact information about their owners, which may or may not be the member who manages the account. A web designer managing an account for a client would be a good example of a case where the member who manages the account is not the owner. Similarly, a company might own an account, even though it's managed from the company's webmaster's membership. Keep in mind that from our perspective, regardless of account ownership, the member is the only representative of the owner authorized to access the account. (There's no point in having any other policy, since the member can change the account's contact information at any time.)

People use accounts to group related stuff together, to separate business and personal expenses, or to keep track of multiple clients. All sorts of reasons. Other people are perfectly happy to jam everything into one account and have only one balance to keep track of.

It's a little like a bank. You are one person, but you might have two savings accounts: one for college, and one for "rainy days." The bank (if they know you at all these days) knows that you are just one person, and you have your social security number (membership) to prove it.

Unlike accounts, you may not have more than one membership. That would be like opening an account at your bank, then going out to your car, putting on a fake moustache, and going back in to open a second account.* Even if you could, why? Likewise, you cannot go into the bank, give them someone else's social security number, and open an account in their name.** So please don't open memberships for other people here.

*At least, we assume it's like that, but we've never actually tried it. Our bank has a pretty good sense of humor, but why push our luck?

**Sense of humor or not, we're pretty sure that's a felony.

 

[Noodles]

With some of the major products out there requiring a high level of professionalism in diverse skill sets, it's kind of hard to imagine how some of those accounts CAN'T be shared just because there are so many people involved in them. There really should be some form of semi-corporate account with multiple stakeholders contributing.

At the very least, some way to have multiple people manage an MP Store. Because as far as I know, there is not.

But also year, having one "Brand Account/Avatar" is also better for who is the "creator" on an object.

 

[Noodles]

"Multiple people" makes me wonder what they'll do about alts. A lot of people have multiple avatars.

I am inclined to agree that this is not likely a related issue like Beebo said. Since it's not like one alt can break other alts etc. versus one RL.person breaking a shared account for many.

 

[Noodles]

The big land baron where I rent my parcel from is 24/7 available on the same account name.
Now, either she never sleeps or there are multiple people active on the same account.

It's possible the available account for support is a bot that just relays the message to a specialist who is currently online.

 

[Noodles]

Seems like the solution is to offer a "corporate account" that can be shared. But maybe it uses multiple password. So each user has their own password to log in. I am not entirely sure how booting users would work, maybe it requires concent from a majority of the other users or something.

 

[Sid]

Seems like the solution is to offer a "corporate account" that can be shared. But maybe it uses multiple password. So each user has their own password to log in. I am not entirely sure how booting users would work, maybe it requires concent from a majority of the other users or something.

Maybe just like the SL groups. People with different roles and rights.

 

[Cristiano]

Part of the issue with account sharing is who becomes responsible for actions done on the account? There needs to be better ways of sharing developed that do not involve someone else logging in to the same account.

 

[Noodles]

Maybe just like the SL groups. People with different roles and rights.

That could be a solution. Let groups run an MP Store and allow them to own objects.

That still goes a bit to the accountability aspect, but they could maybe add a record for the actual owner/creator that only LL can see.