Avatar transparency and the establishment of trust in virtual information eco-systems

Abstract

This poster addresses the issue of avatar transparency in virtual worlds, and its relationship to the establishment of trustworthiness. Preliminary analysis of interviews with Second Life® users offers insights on this topic. The authors describe the tension between anonymity and trust in participant contexts, and suggest a framework for describing avatar transparency and trust issues.

Challenges and Opportunities in Virtual Worlds: Informed Consent and Data Collection

“…to better understand information use in virtual worlds. In the process, we designed and implemented a novel method of gathering informed consent Marino, Lin, Karlova, & Eisenberg, 2010) and developed understandings of the nature of long-term, continuous use in online communities . Questions remained, however, about how users solved information problems, such as how users select partners to work with on projects and events and how users organize information in three-dimensional spaces.…”