Archaeologist-PA

An interesting article from the BBC... Computer gaming has spawned some issues of its own!

If you walked into a room and found your partner in a passionate clinch with someone else you'd probably have good cause to worry.

But would you worry if those doing the kissing were characters in a game being controlled by your partner and someone else?

For some players of Second Life, a massive multi-player online role-playing game, such virtual infidelity is a step too far.

So to keep an eye on their loved ones, some spouses are paying real money to in-game detectives, to snoop on the character or avatar used by their real world partner.

Testing times

Like its name implies, Second Life is an online world that encourages people to create a character and live out another existence doing almost anything they want.

It's an imaginary world without the elves and dragons people tend to associate with the "fantasy" tag.

Characters can buy their own island, create their dream house, become a clothes designer, go fishing, spend nights partying in clubs and bars and, of course, have virtual sex with virtual people.

Second Life - all the thrills and none of the danger

It is this last freedom that has driven some characters, like Markie MacDonald and Bruno Buckenberger, to turn to in-game detectives who will spy on other characters.

They will even set up a honey trap using an attractive avatar to test a character's fidelity .

More at the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4432019.stm