Rep. Edward J. Markey Holds a Hearing On Online Virtual Worlds

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Rep. Edward J. Markey Holds a Hearing On Online Virtual Worlds

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND THE INTERNET HOLDS A HEARING ON VIRTUAL ONLINE WORLDS

APRIL 1, 2008

SPEAKERS: REP. EDWARD J. MARKEY, D-MASS. CHAIRMAN REP. MIKE DOYLE, D-PA. REP. JANE HARMAN, D-CALIF. REP. CHARLIE GONZALEZ, D-TEXAS REP. JAY INSLEE, D-WASH. REP. BARON P. HILL, D-IND. REP. RICK BOUCHER, D-VA. REP. EDOLPHUS TOWNS, D-N.Y. REP. FRANK PALLONE JR., D-N.J. REP. BART GORDON, D-TENN. REP. BOBBY L. RUSH, D-ILL. REP. ANNA G. ESHOO, D-CALIF. REP. BART STUPAK, D-MICH. REP. ELIOT L. ENGEL, D-N.Y. REP. GENE GREEN, D-TEXAS REP. LOIS CAPPS, D-CALIF. REP. HILDA L. SOLIS, D-CALIF. REP. JOHN D. DINGELL, D-MICH. EX OFFICIO

REP. CLIFF STEARNS, R-FLA. RANKING MEMBER REP. FRED UPTON, R-MICH. REP. NATHAN DEAL, R-GA. REP. BARBARA CUBIN, R-WYO. REP. JOHN SHIMKUS, R-ILL. REP. HEATHER A. WILSON, R-N.M. REP. CHARLES W. "CHIP" PICKERING JR., R-MISS. REP. VITO J. FOSSELLA, R-N.Y. REP. STEVE BUYER, R-IND. REP. GEORGE RADANOVICH, R-CALIF. REP. MARY BONO MACK, R-CALIF. REP. GREG WALDEN, R-ORE. REP. LEE TERRY, R-NEB. REP. MIKE FERGUSON, R-N.J. REP. JOE L. BARTON, R-TEXAS EX OFFICIO

WITNESSES: PHILIP ROSEDALE, FOUNDER AND CEO, LINDEN LAB

SUSAN TENBY, SENIOR MANAGER, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, TECHSOUP

LARRY JOHNSON, CEO, NEW MEDIA CONSORTIUM

COLIN PARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL CONVERGENCE, IBM RESEARCH, IBM CORPORATION

[*] MARKEY: Ladies and gentlemen, in approximately 10 seconds, the Ed Markey avatar is going to gavel this hearing. There he is. He's done it. And we welcome you to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, and this is going to be, I think, one of the most fascinating hearings that we have ever had, and we thank all of you for coming and participating.

And this is actually going to be the first simulcast of a congressional hearing in a virtual world. A recreation of this committee hearing room has been developed in Second Life, and my avatar is there as well in the virtual chairman's seat.

My avatar actually looks like he's been working out, and that's one of the beauties of Second Life. There are also several other avatars who have been invited to watch today's hearing from Second Life.

In particular, I would like to welcome an avatar we have invited named Wild Cunningham, which was created by an inspirational group of individuals with cerebral palsy at an adult day care center in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

They are using their avatars to run, to fly and communicate with people in a whole new way.

This is a prime example of how virtual worlds can empower and animate the lives of individuals with disabilities through the use of broadband technology.

Mitch Kapor, founder of Lotus in Massachusetts and a transplant out to Silicon Valley and to Second Life, is also present with his avatar in the hearing room.

We have also invited the avatars of several journalists, online advocates and academics, as well as the avatars of several federal government representatives from NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who have built an incredible locale in Second Life where individuals can watch the impact of global weather conditions as well as fly into the eye of a virtual hurricane.

In fact, virtual worlds often permit people to do things and model conditions that would be difficult to do in real life.

For example, emergency first responders can train for scenarios that are difficult to stage in real life. Responses to things like natural disasters or a flu pandemic can be practiced and analyzed by professionals in this virtual media.

In addition, the American Cancer Society has raised tens of thousands of dollars in charitable contributions in Second Life and is quite active in the media.

Colleges and universities around the ...

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