Help, I’m being threatened by my ex-sl husbands partner, she wants to get at me because I sent a few note cards telling her what a jerk he is. She said she has my IP address from SL and to expect her to show up in RL.

Ever have this happen to you? Here are a few tips to make sure you are protected.

Tracing your IP is possible if you listen to streaming music or watch streaming video in SL. Nowadays there may also be streaming images from web pages on a parcel. If you are worried about people being abe to capture or identify your IP address remember!

Any streaming audio or video will give your IP address to the stream’s external server. Some people have exploited that to create databases of IP addresses and associated names which are then used to identify alts. Because that happens outside of SL, it seems to be technically acceptable under the TOS, although it could (in theory, not practice) be a problem when that info is brought back in world and misused.

So the only way to guarantee the anonymity is to NEVER stream audio or video and to disable the ability of objects to turn your media stream on.

It’s like the rest of the internet. There’s always someone quite happy to be as sneaky as they have to violate privacy, especially if there’s money to be made or person to make miserble.

There are some selling a product to jealous types a system designed to identify alt accounts of griefers and such, but they all know how to get around the system. So all it really does is create false positives (different people on the same IP address) and give people a new way to f#@k about in other people’s business. Does not hold true if you do not let it! As these systems are worthless and cause more problems IE: region performance issues or repeated griefing due to the culprit likes to cause trouble and can not be stopped. Folks, If you do not respond they really do go away! Your MUTE button can do wonders!

IP tracing is not likely from the average Second Life user. However, when an avatar uses a note card or other scripted object, or by clicking on a link sent to you the IP address COULD be viewable, though these methods and are a little hazy at best.

BUT, if you’re like most users of Second Life, your IP address is not static. Furthermore, the IP address will only manage to tell them what ISP (Internet Service Provider) you’re using, very little else about you. But if you feel you are being threatened in this matter file a abuse report for disclosure to Linden Lab. This may or may not help.

Hope this can clear up some of your questions on the subject and relieve some of you when people tell you they have your IP and personal info. Just be careful do not give out your information outside SL. Yes, I have heard excuses: they were my BF and I shared with them my account or RL information on Face book and other social media. This would be your fault and you should be aware that anything that happens will be on your head! Want to get rid of that stalker or ex that can’t get over the fact they have dated a cartoon for a year?
Keep your information PRIVATE! Unless you plan on meeting them in real life.

Have a great day!

Deuce Marjeta
Operations Manager ZoHa Islands