Civil Society IT magazine has reported that Diabetes UK has opened a new state-of-the-art building on ‘Manchester Island’ in virtual 3D world Second Life.
The charity has done this to raise awareness about the risks and seriousness of diabetes and to promote a healthier lifestyle in its new virtual shop that allow users of the virtual world to teleport themselves straight to the Diabetes UK HQ.
Second Life has over 15 million subscribers each of whom creates an Avatar (your own persona) and explores the virtual world created by other virtual residents. You can purchase virtulal land in a virtual economy using virtual money (with a real exchange rate based on the very real $US dollar).
Second Life got into the news recently due to the virtual infidelities of certain avatars leading to real life divorces. However bizarre that sounds, the publicity no doubt increased the interest in this cyber-world!
It will be interesting to chart the Diabetes UK virtual adventures – so if any readers who are members of Second Life would care to visit the charity’s new ‘HQ’ and write us a review – it will be reported faithfully on the website here.
ICT & Communication (Social Media) 