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In the real world, economies thrive in part because copying technologies exist - in other words, because those technologies themselves are economic engines. Marty emphasizes the potentially disruptive nature of this copying technology on the still relatively nascent virtual world, but the fact is all copying technologies are and have been disruptive, in part by making it easier to infringe intellectual property rights: cameras, photocopiers, audio and video recording devices, and all manner of digital media fall into this category. I think that SecondLife is going to have to get into the copyright enforcement business. If copyrightable material is going to be bought and sold on Second Life, then I'm not sure that the real world copyright regime is fast enough to solve problems like CopyBot. O the extent that it wishes to continue to be the host to an exchange, it will find that successful exchanges must offer security not only to buyers but to sellers. (Go read Marty's terrifically headlined post: CopyBot Terrorizing Residents Of SecondLife, Caught On Video.) Marty thinks this is an indication Linden Labs will have to bake more protective measures into its virtual world if it hopes to preserve and foster the economy: Marty Schwimmer tipped me to the controversy swirling about use of a CopyBot tool in Second Life.