The Weaving of the 3D Web: Hierarchies and Subversion in online 3D worlds
Maria Bäcke, Blekinge Institute of Technology

"Figments of our imagination," "consensual hallucinations," utopias or dystopias - how are 3D worlds constructed and what forces interact, compete or collaborate to create and maintain these platforms? In my research I study the web woven by individuals, communities, groups and developers using the new online 3D medium. Whereas for instance Twinity often is described as homogeneous and coherent, this is not the case for Second Life. It can be described as a multi-faceted rug consisting of thousands of strands in various colours. The intentions of creators and developers are important in shaping these environments, but they are not the only influence. Examples from Second Life show that many residents take advantage of the freedom available and become anything they could possibly imagine (which is in line with common ideas about the new medium), but my research investigates in what way identity/avatar construction often is limited by rules originating in offline social orders and power structures. Taking a stance in Foucault's ideas about power, authority and surveillance, I explore how hierarchies are developed, authority and ownership are maintained, and how they all clash with the subversive forces attempting to alter the current pattern of the web.