Do We Need Dispute Resolution in Virtual Worlds?

Colin Rule has an entry on his blog on “disputes growing in virtual worlds”, and links to this business shrink article. Mr. Rule recommends dispute resolution. One could image a mediation center.

I played around with the idea, and the policy could be something like this:

Conflict Solving/Dispute Resolution

If a citizen breaches the Virtual World (VW) Code of Conduct, and thus griefs another citizen, the aggrieved citizen will be able to log in his complaint in the grievance/grumble book.

a) First step: private settlements are encouraged
VW encourages its players to try to solve their conflicts in a private settlements. VW will provide a neutral place on VW to meet and discuss the conflict, and hopefully find a way to solve the conflict amicably

b) Second Step: VW Mediation Center
The VW Mediation center is made out of a panel of seven mediators. Five of them are VW citizens in good standing, and two of them are VW employees. Mediators will be compensated in the VW currency, to be determined.

The mediators will hear the grievances of the parties, and work together at helping the parties find a way to resolve their conflict.

The mediation is either made live, on real time, or in differed time. In that case, the aggrieved citizens first write their grievance in the grievance/grumble book, then the mediators post their comments and suggestions.

If all the aggrieved citizens accept that practice, the citizens may first communicate their side of the stories to the mediators via a private chat session.

c) Third Step: Arbitration, the VW Wizavatars
If a solution to a conflict between citizens cannot be solved by mediation, the citizens agree to submit their claim to the Wizavatars who will act as final arbitrators of the conflict.

The Wizavatars are elected every three months by the citizens in good standing.
VW reserves the right to increase the number of VW if the number of conflicts presented to their arbitration makes it necessary.

The decision of the Wizavatars are final: the citizens must agree to accept them and to act conforming to the decision. Failure to do so may result in the immediate termination of the citizen’s account.