Beware! BBC desperate to find lovers to exploit

Seems like the BBC has become ever more desperate to find lovers who will be willing to appear on camera, especially ones who haven’t met before and are willing to meet in real life in front of the cameras.

I’ve seen a number of requests from the BBC over the past few weeks, but they started spamming the Second Life mentors yesterday. I received an IM from someone called Treacle Moo, saying: “As a Second Life Mentor, I thought you might be in a good position to advise us. I am writing from the documentaries department of the BBC. The BBC is looking for people whose SL is having a dramatic impact on their real lives – particularly SL couples ready to meet up for the first time in RL. If you are in this situation and would be interested, or know anyone else who might, please contact pearl.doherty@bbc.co.uk.”

My advice to Ms Doherty/Moo was short and sweet, that people in SL hate spam, and it isn’t a good way to get what you want. A summary of her reply seemed to be that because she is the BBC and has Linden Lab support for the project, it’s OK to spam. Oh yeah? I abuse reported the spam.

I shouldn’t have given it much more thought, if I hadn’t bumped into a fellow UK player and mentioned it. “Yeah,” she said, “I’ve had multiple spams from her…”.

A short while later, I happened to talk to a well-known creator, and warned him that the BBC might be in contact. “Already muted,” he told me. “She was such a pain, I muted her.” Now, as this is someone who engages in conversations with people who routinely abuse him for not giving them his creations free of charge, I was extremely surprised. Then I learned that not only was the researcher asking for him to participate, but she thought that maybe he would like to nominate a few people too… and she thought multiple IMs might work where one had not.

I don’t know if Linden Lab have approved the spamming of UK residents and mentors alike, but if they did, they should be ashamed of themselves. The TOS ought to apply to everyone without fear or favour, and that includes the BBC and their researchers. I did ask LL’s marketing department but haven’t had an answer to date.

My advice is to ignore, mute and abuse report if they spam.

I was sorely tempted to persuade one of the residents in the further-flung areas of the world to declare undying love and a passionate desire to meet me in real life, so that I could take a trip at the BBC’s expense. Knowing the type of documentary they have in mind, it is bound to make everyone featured look like a bumbling fool, however, and I am not sure it’s worth it.

Besides, Oclee wouldn’t like it….