Bio:
Prof. Richard A. Bartle co-wrote the first virtual world, MUD, in 1978; he has thus been at the forefront of the industry from its very inception. He divides his time equally between being an industry consultant and an academic specialising in virtual worlds. His 2003 book, "Designing Virtual Worlds", is the standard text on the subject, and he is an influential writer on all aspects of virtual world design and development.
Security and Virtual Worlds
Abstract:
Virtual worlds are massively multiplayer online spaces through which and with which players interact. Whether they are game worlds (such as World of Warcraft) or social worlds (such as Second Life), they face not only the usual security issues, but also a number of problems particular to them. This talk identifies the main dangers faced by developers and players, and describes the solutions that have been adopted to mitigate their effects.