CORRECTED - New avatar registrations outpace SL usage
Growth in the number of registered Second Life avatars, rapidly closing in on 2 million, has drastically outstripped the increase in user hours in recent months.
Surge in high-end Second Life business profits
The number of Second Life residents making profits over US$5,000 a month surged more than 40 percent in November, while the total number of profitable residents rose 11.5 percent from the prior month.
Details emerge on U.S. virtual world tax probe
A government economist has shed additional light on the U.S. congressional investigation into how tax law affects virtual economies.
CopyBot furor roils Second Life currency
The CopyBot saga has taken its toll on Second Life’s economy as concerned business people shuttered their stores and sold off Linden dollars, pushing down the value of the currency against the U.S. dollar.
UPDATE: User claims to have caused spending spike
An anonymous resident claimed credit on Friday for artificially boosting the reported value of Second Life’s daily intra-resident transactions, which has more than tripled in the last 24 hours to an all-time high of more than US$1.65 million.
Australia says virtual income taxable - report
The Australian government has determined that income earned in virtual economies like Second Life and World of Warcraft should be taxed, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald.
UK to wait and see on virtual world taxes
British tax authorities are keeping a close eye on virtual economies but are waiting for the result of a U.S. Congressional investigation before taking action.
Linden moves to quell price hike criticism
Linden Lab has admitted a misstep in consulting with select designers and long-time residents before announcing higher fees for buying and maintaining private islands in Second Life.
Prof gets funding for virtual Shakespeare world
Indiana University Professor Edward Castronova has made a name for himself as an economist who studies virtual worlds. Now he’s been awarded a US$240,000 grant to create one himself, based on the world of William Shakespeare.
Virtual economy tax ‘would be a mistake’ - US Rep
The head of a U.S. congressional committee thinks it “would be a mistake” if the Internal Revenue Service introduced regulations to tax virtual economies such as Second Life and World of Warcraft.
US Congress launches probe into virtual economies
Booming virtual economies in online worlds such as Second Life and World of Warcraft have drawn the attention of a U.S. congressional committee, which is investigating how virtual assets and incomes should be taxed.
Greenspanning SL: Linden keeps the economy humming
Philip Rosedale and his team at Linden Lab have almost godlike powers in Second Life that Alan Greenspan (right) could only have dreamed of, but they have much the same job managing its fast-growing economy.
