Let’s start with the official SL Video Tutorial wiki:

The video tutorial wiki/database covers a wide variety of subjects, from filling in your profile over building to SL photography and even liquify in PS. Neat! You don’t need to give any contact information to watch the videos, and residents are able to add their own. Neither do you need to pay. Good! Good! Good!

And now www.secondlifevideotutorials.com (You’ll can shoot me, cage me, orbit me or even take my precious photosphere away from me and I will _still_ not link to it!):

(If you type secondlifevideotutorials.com you end up at ‘Fast track home inspector training course and assessement program’ - a mistake? -, if you type www.secondlifevideotutorials.com you end up at the site I’m talking about here. And that’s being advertised on SLprofiles.com!)

For starters, it looks like sh*t and automatically reminds me of not very arrousing Viagra-spam. That and I’m really doubting if Mr. Miles page is actually legit if you keep this in mind:

You can’t (and agree not to) do any of the following:

Have the Second Life logo as the largest logo on your website or printed material;
Display a Second Life logo as the most prominent element on any page of your website or printed material;
Display a Second Life logo in any manner that implies a relationship or affiliation with, sponsorship, or endorsement by Linden Lab, or that can be reasonably interpreted to suggest editorial content has been authored by, or represents the views or opinions of Linden Lab or Linden Lab personnel;
Display a Second Life or Linden Lab logo in a manner that is in Linden Lab’s sole opinion misleading, defamatory, infringing, libelous, disparaging, obscene or otherwise objectionable to Linden Lab;

Now, lets just assume Mr. Krakow doesn’t want to mislead anyone. Just by accident the ‘Krakow Miles’ is written very very small and the SecondLife Logo and ‘Video Tutorials’ are huge. So ignoring this ‘little’ mistake, next thing to do is to look at the services Mr. Miles offers: ‘Over 100 Minutes Of ‘Click and Play’ Video Tutorials That SHOW You Exactly How To Master The ‘Must Know’ Features Of Second Life…. (And Without A Computer Geek In Sight!)‘. But dear Krakow… I heart computer geeks!! Can you please add one for me to the tutorials? Pretty please? :p

Hmmm. Without computer geeks will have to do. :( Now how do I get to those videos?!! Clicking ‘Click here to watch full screen “theatre style”‘ only opens the main window again! :( Ow! I see! Mr. Krakow wants to know my email. I’m sure he’ll send a link to the videos to that adress! But what else is he going to do with it? A quick view at his ‘disclaimer’:

This site is NOT officially associated with Linden Labs and Second Life // Go figure! :d

And here comes secondlifevideotutorials.com’s SAMPLE!!! Privacy Policy:

This privacy policy sets out how “[business name]” uses and protects any information that you give “[business name]” when you use this website.
“[business name]” is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.
“[business name]” may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from [date].

OMG! Now I feel _so_ safe. *grins* But there’s more (standard bullsh*t):

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:
whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes
if you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us at [email address]
We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

Now. How do I contact you again?! And where’s that frigging checkbox you promise in the disclaimer?!! At this moment, I couldn’t hold myself back anymore and went for a whois on the domain. Just to see if the company adress in the disclaimer matches that of the domain. Hmm. Domain registered from Tucows and I’m not TechSavvy enough to find out more. *sobs* So let’s assume (at least) Krakow Miles’ company ‘Train In A Day’ is based Manchester, although I assume that’s just a postbox? There’s actually a traininaday.com, also registered through Tucows. At least that one looks more slick, and some IRL person’s names. I wonder if it’s the same ‘Train In A Day’, or if these people won’t like the secondlifevideotutorial.com site neither.

But anyway, after this, Mr. Miles, I’m not giving you my email! Besides I found another way to get the videos:

So that’s why instead of charging the standard $97 this course is really worth, we’re practically giving it away at the ridiculously low price of only $47.

For +- $0.50 / minute that’s a real bargain indeed, especially if I can get the same (and better) video tutorials somewhere else for free!

But to be honest, I must confes that I will not press the buy button that’s located above.. ow.. wait.. on the left of - are you sure the people you are targeting are still going to be able to find that button now? - that text.

And you sign with ‘Carl Duncker’. That’s nice. Who is it now?! Krakow Miles or Carl Duncker? This Carl Duncker: http://www.the-marketing-man.co.uk/?!

Dear Carl, secondlifevideotutorials.com is very sick example of marketing! It’s not about tutorials, teaching people or sharing knowledge! It’s not even close to honest! It’s just about abusing people’s good trust and getting some $ out of their pockets! You should be ashamed!

PS. And a big ‘Booohooo!’ for SLprofiles.com too, for actually running Mister Duncker’s ads!

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