What: The French Presidential Election played out in Second Life where Presidential hopefuls set up outposts and engaged residents debated politics with one another.
When: 04/22/07
Link: http://www.slnn.com/article/french-election-2007/
Reading Notes:
- While extremists are a minority in France, they are a vocal minority who made sure they were heard through Second Life and their avatars.
- The heated exchange between the Front National (FN) (a right wing party) and left wing extremists resulted in a server crash. Yet many residents with varying political ideologies are meeting up in the virtual world to discuss the issues and exchange ideas.
- Ségolène Royal of the Parti Socialiste, and a presidential front runner, has set up an official election office in Second Life. Her Chief of Staff has been visiting Second Life to answer questions in an open discussion forum. They have held 21 meetings in the past months due, in part, to the fact that 8% of Second Life residents are French, and plan to intensify these meetings in the final push of the election.
- Politicians are using Second Life as "political guerilla warfare" according to Trebor Luke, a representative from Royal's office.
- Second Life offers politicians a new way to reach people at their home for a lower cost - something that is attractive to many campaigns, especially those of smaller candidates who may be able to find a larger voice in virtual worlds.
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