Social Norms, Regulatory Policies, and Virtual Behavior

Abstract

Where do virtual worlds end and the real world begin? Many consider the boundary between virtual worlds and real-world phenomena to be quite distinct, with the delineation drawn based on criteria such as representations (e.g., avatar appearance, behavior), functions and capabilities (e.g., communication through voice, movement, and gestures; flying or teleporting), social dynamics (e.g., the social system, norms, social structures, and composition), and artifacts (e.g., electronically generated objects). There are many problems with relying on these criteria alone or in combination. Chief among these problems is that the criteria for drawing these boundaries are often chosen based on preconceptions involving the social construction of what defines value to the user (e.g., a physical chair is more valuable than a virtual chair) or the limited frame of reference used to define differences (e.g., in many virtual environments, an avatar can fly or carry out other superhuman feats; however, with proper technology support, one could also fly in the ‘real world’). Given this, we conclude that these commonly applied criteria for establishing boundaries are arbitrary, ill-defined, and ultimately unstable.KeywordsCorporate Social ResponsibilitySocial NormVirtual EnvironmentVirtual WorldRegulatory PolicyThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.