Thoughts about IMVU

[Replies: 469]
I would like to open up discussion about the latest phenomenon, IMVU. For those of you who don't know, its similar to Second Life however it seems to be targeting young people. For young people who often spend a lot of time in online communities, playing online games, and instant messaging, IMVU opens a door to a whole new experience.

I am hoping to hear from IMVU users about their experiences, good or bad. I hope other people wade into this discussion as well because I think IMVU will become very popular.

Thanks
Detective Randy Wickins
Alberta Integrated Child Exploitation Team
Alberta, Canada

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Detective Randy Wickins
Edmonton Police Service
Alberta Integrated Child Exploitation Team
Last Post Jan 31, 2012 1:00 AM by: mariag1211
mariag1211
Posts: 1
Registered: 12/28/11
(470 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Jan 31, 2012 1:00 AM
A primary focus of IMVU is the member-developed content so IMVU actively encourages the members to participate in content creation. Members are able to create and sell virtual products. Developers have access to the IMVU software Creator Mode located in the 3D client itself used in creating and submitting new virtual products and can sell their products by listing them in the online IMVU product catalog. A member must own a name and have enough credits in the account for "derivation" and submission fees in order to become a content creator. IMVU uses its own proprietary Cal3D format consisted of .xcf (eXperimental Computing Facility) subformats.[4] 3D Max7 is the most used Meshing program for IMVU products but Sketchup and Blender are used by many developers as well.

*What doesn't kill you make you stronger*
Just another Jade
Posts: 1
From: Reno
Registered: 1/22/12
(469 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Jan 22, 2012 10:45 PM
I have been on IMVU since 07 and ya it has its issues. From jail bait kids who lie about there age and get AP. To the Daddy Domination where ppl act as the "parent" and another acts as a child for cyber sex. Then again you always have your wierdos in any social environment. There is one annoyance I have to throw out there and it is this. IMVU gave adults AP so we could have a little and I do mean little adult freedom. It has gotten to the point where people can "stalk" you on there by reporting you and get you blocked for nothing. They say they review all the complaints personally but I highly doubt that. I mad it a point to dress my avatar in GA only clothing (GA is the label of general population) and my account was reported 2 times in a 2hr time period. I had nothing offencive in my intrests section of my avatar profile card which too was deleted. I have since then been blocked from IMVU for a week because once again I was reported. My question is this. When is it right for adults to be bullied by people now and it is ok? Where is the adults rights in all this? Also since when do parents stop being held responsable for there children. Oh and lastly IMVU is nothing like Second Life. There is no realistic sex actions like on Second Life.
RedJar
Posts: 1
From: Irving, TX
Registered: 1/20/12
(468 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Jan 20, 2012 6:31 PM
IMVU is a fun place. It really depends on the users how they handle themselves in the game.
nsanyi23
Posts: 3
From: Florida
Registered: 12/27/11
(467 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Dec 27, 2011 7:07 AM
it's an adult game, of course...
Twinkles
Posts: 5
Registered: 9/26/11
(466 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Sep 26, 2011 8:34 AM
Like any kind of metaverse, IMVU has been good and bad, it all depends on what the user hopes to get out of it.

Though I think their Terms of Service is something to be desired, for the most part it is what it is.

Myself, I have met some really great people, I have also ran into some people who just want cybersex, then I also ran into people who are all about being Drama Kings / Drama Queens. But, as I have said before, it's all a matter of what the user is hoping to find and do.

Myself, I enjoy hanging out with friends, meeting like minded people, and decorating. Which keeps me mostly out of the limelight of the things that I don't care for.

I just laugh at a lot of people who complain about IMVU being all bad, and this, that, and the other. But, the one thing I don't get. If these sites are so bad and or "addicting" why is it the site's fault that the user is not saying "This is to much I am leaving" Last I knew, these sites don't hold a gun to the user's head.
JAMEZA
Posts: 1
From: SCOTLAND
Registered: 9/5/11
(465 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Sep 5, 2011 8:14 PM
my personal opinion of imvu im an imvu adult gamer me and my friends have many rooms they all are 25+ i personally dont think its a game for kid's
Domohiro
Posts: 2
From: United States
Registered: 7/23/11
(464 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Jul 23, 2011 11:19 PM
Personally IMVU is turning into a self centered online chatting system, where people basically live there lives on that game, spend so much money on there its rediculas, people on there now a days are basically making profiles for cyber sex mainly, people are putting fake ages on there file to get access to more things, people are making little personal rooms ment for the public, but like to boot you out the room for no good reasons, i had a friend in real life who put his life in to IMVU so badly he put nearly almost $3000 into IMVU for some Virtual clothes an junk, he renamed his self in real Life same as his Avatar on IMVU, the First Time IMVU came out it was more safe an friendly, now its just a chatting Virtual cybersex, life sucking in to, Chatting system, people waste too much of there life on the computer, which is unhealthy in so many ways, IMVU is not fully safe , but it has its limits
SilentSilver
Posts: 1
From: Austin
Registered: 7/17/11
(463 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Jul 17, 2011 1:36 PM
The fact is I have myself helped some kids get out of bad situations, some are EVEN their PARENTS. So it is the parents but then also it is the kids, wanting to be curious, the REAL problem is the adults on that site, we are RESPONSIBLE for how we deal with children any and ALL adults who interact with children in a negative and dangerous way that violates federal laws should be held accountable.

It is the same as real life, if they hire a pervert for a babysitter and you going to blame the parents or the babysitter? seriously use common sense!

I have been dealing with a known harasser, stalker, abuser and pedophile for over 2 years now hundreds if not thousands of reports have been done on this guy he stalks us through email, through imvu messages comes into rooms, he goes as far as to black mail young girls into having cyber sex and then trying to meet them in rl. One such girl just the other day told me of a story how this man forced his avi on her and she told him to leave her alone he began to harass her, luckily she had enough sense to call the police and the police even got involved IMVU did NOTHING!!!!! They are just as responsible for protecting this predator and should be held as accountable for his actions as he is! That is my thought! and any evidence you need to help you on this you got it just ask me
Loqutis
Posts: 1
From: Pennsylvania
Registered: 7/3/11
(462 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Jul 3, 2011 1:23 AM
I have not taken even a moment to read any of the posts here.My opinion is this, Simply if children involve themselves in IMVU for any reason games or what have you then it is the responsibility of parents to know and treat them as children. We live in an age where you can order a pizza from a palm device and get it even with a smile and extra cheese. How can anyone say IMVU is this or IMVU is that unless you involve yourself. Listen read and understand I am a content creator on IMVU.com I love what I do and I do respect all those who choose to become a member of IMVU. The problem with children is not the child but absent parents. Children come home to an empty house as both parents must work and they do as they wish. IMVU is not responsible for the behavior or bad fortune of children or adults. We need to get back to the old days when a neighborhood raised a child. IMVU is a community or people from all over the world. IMVU is growing very fast and I think it is a safe place to meet friends or more as long as you play safe. I dont think it is anything like second life not at all. If you take a moment to view Second life and then view IMVU you will see they are nothing alike. The only thing in common is us humans there on the site. IMVU will grow and wont stop and its friends like myself that love IMVU will keep it going. Five flames to IMVU peace and have fun. Lo is on da flo
douggie7772011
Posts: 2
Registered: 6/20/11
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Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Jun 20, 2011 4:34 PM
IT'S LIKE I SAID YOU SNOBS IF YOU DON'T LIKE IMVU DON'T COME ON TO MAKE THE ONES THAT ENJOY IMVU MISERABLE . I'M SICK OF SNOBS COMING ON SOMETHING LIKE IMVU AND TURN IT TO A DEBATE. GET A LIFE YOU SNOBS I HAVE ONE SO WHY DON'T YOU SNOBS GET ONE!!!
ayanojo
Posts: 1
From: southcoast
Registered: 5/20/11
(460 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

May 20, 2011 6:15 PM
IMVU's age check REALLY needs work... I almost got into a VERY BAD situation. I met a young lady who claimed to be 19. We chatted for a while and she asked to chat through web cam with MSN. When I saw her, it was clear she was not 19, she was 13. Needless to say, I immediately broke contact and reported it to IMVU. Even after I made it clear I had no interest in children, she made a number of attempts to contact me.
I don' t think they should allow ANYONE to register as an adult unless their age has been verified.
LordSoulFire
Posts: 111
From: Kansas
Registered: 1/4/08
(459 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Feb 16, 2011 5:56 AM
" I was talking about SL, are you saying that they didn't do that? or that only IMVU didn't? "

That IMVU didn't do this.

" I always assumed that 'age play' was short hand in sl for child avi cyber sex.. "

Many people do. Ageplay is simply a form of role-play. It may or may not include sexuality, but it's safer to assume that it doesn't than to lump all ageplayers into one group based on the motives of some. For more on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ageplay

" Now, as it's always been, it's up to parents, not governments or corporations to keep our kids safe. "

I've addressed this time and time again in various forms throughout this thread and others. This is my latest post regarding that topic. As Second Life begins merging TeenGrid with the MainGrid I'm predicting that we're going to see more and more of the same issues that IMVU has had since it opened its doors to the children -- Only its going to be a lot worse. Why? Because Second Life has far more adult content than anything IMVU allows.

_____________________________________________
This may be a difficult concept to grasp, but it's really easy when you remember this:

" The lack of responsibility of parents does not alleviate the responsibility of the company. "

" Now, keeping that in mind... Parents *should* monitor their children. Parents *should* take steps to keep their own children safe. Parents *should* do the right thing at all times -- despite the fact that majority of people wouldn't know the right thing if it punched them in the nose. In IMVU's case the issue is *not* the irresponsibility of the parents who do not do these things. At most that merely creates smaller issues.

The larger issues with IMVU is its marketing strategies, it's ineffective monitoring of users who may be or are reported as being under the age of 13 as required by their own TOS, and their irresponsibility due to the moderation of their own product catalog. Worse yet, the ignorant and uniformed legal advice they follow that stipulates that they do not have to legally monitor the content on their servers.

IMVU isn't a playground for pedophiles any more than any other system on the Internet is. There are worse, and better places of course, but lets not muddy up the issues by addressing the " could " be issues. Let's certainly not distract from important issues by playing with straw men. IMVU has a lot of issues that it fails to take control of and eliminate. The company has proven itself unethical, irresponsible, and reprehensible -- not because of parental irresponsibility but their own.

http://www.blogsafety.com/topic/Parenting-Online-Kids/Imvu-And-Virtual/1200000449&#msg1200015692
_____________________________________________
JayComposer
Posts: 2
From: Australia
Registered: 7/5/10
(458 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Feb 15, 2011 10:24 PM
Hay LordSoulFire, yes I stand corrected on one or two points. :) But the first if you read me correctly, I was talking about SL, are you saying that they didn't do that? or that only IMVU didn't?

And when I said, 'age play', yes you're quite correct, you're allowed any age avi, but I guess I should have made myself clearer. Of course I meant cyber sex involving child avis. I always assumed that 'age play' was short hand in sl for child avi cyber sex..

I've seen child avis booted by ao club owners. Maybe they didn't have to, but it seems like fairly standard practice in the dance clubs anyway.

I can't usually tell just by looking at an avi, if it's a child avi. Just when you start to chat with them. They are saying all this weird stuff and the penny drops... Hmmm, Well honey, you know Santa doesn't like bad girls that do naughty stuff, ...if you want any presents this year, you better go home to your mum before he finds out...

Keeping our children children, and not forcing them to grow up too soon, is vital to their healthy transition into adult life. Now, as it's always been, it's up to parents, not governments or corporations to keep our kids safe.

Although It's good to know there are people like our own Randy Detective who started this thread, lurking around virtual worlds keeping an eye out on our children for us.

Cheers m8!
Queenerisastropus
Posts: 2
From: pa
Registered: 1/17/11
(457 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Jan 17, 2011 10:54 PM
even though am 23 what your saying is so true,even my boyfriend is not addicted to imvu but it has broken many realtionships and has caused fowl play,they have this fairly new thing called pulse,when i read the pulse my friend or others post,90% is about cheating,betrayed,used,abused or a person being busted in a public room,and then what makes it worst is they have stripclubs which if you add up the average price for that is nothing compared to an actual strip club,so basically a man or female have their dream person or fantasy at the convience of being home and not leaving out,when i was younger i never use to understand when i parents said technology is good in some ways but evil in others,as look back from thento now iwould imvu is a prime example.
Queenerisastropus
Posts: 2
From: pa
Registered: 1/17/11
(456 of 470)

Re: Thoughts about IMVU

Jan 17, 2011 10:34 PM
hi i been on imvu for about 3 years and am also a dev or as they call a creator,there areso many things that happened and imvu is doing that i see as threat and major concernto minors.there are minors with what is called an access Pass-an access is suppose to be for 18 and older and yet imvu there are nude bodys,triggered dicks.and things that in my opion a minor should not be near http://www.imvu.com/shop/product.php?products_id=7745298 ,a product like this is suppose to be marked ap and yet imvu allows it,not only there are perves on that that if you dont be careful,might be at your door and not know about it,i guess i take things serious because i myself was almost killed when i first joined imvu and luckily a friend who was a cop intervined,am not neccessary blaming everything on imvu,nor the parents but...
whats gona happen when a child location is tracked without even givin out info,the person ends up dead and people dont know why,this is not myspace were talking about,were talking about minors being able to talk to people thats old enough to be their mom or grandparents,people who are real people behind these avatars,people that if you give them your number,someones answer,am on imvu out of boredom,lol i live in a no-where town so i use imvu to keep me occupied but other then that i think it about time something was said about imvu.
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