Though gold farmers could probably care less, I would think that Linden Labs and all fans of Second Life are starting to wonder what the future may hold for their respective virtual businesses. With members of the house and senate just now starting to learn what a video game actually is, some are stumbling upon the news that virtual economies are growing to the level equal to that of some states’. Naturally, wherever there is money, even virtual, exchanging hands there are politicians, which doesn’t make the news surprising that the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress are starting to investigate the ways which virtual economies can be taxed. A report on where players can be taxed will be completed by year’s end, with virtual taxation bills popping up just in time for World of Warcraft’s 10 millionth subscriber. Typical of the IRS, always swooping in and killing any hopes of fun wherever it may be.

Read more: Virtual economies attract real-world tax attention

The Second Life News Network, currently under construction, is aiming to become a major player in the Second Life media industry, by providing fans of the massive real-life simulation game with “breaking news reports and timely, unbiased information related to events in Second Life”. As the Second Life population grows, the one source for Second Life general news reporting, Metaverse Messenger is finding that competition is beginning to make their once comfortable monopoly disappear. How popular SLNN will be among the residents of Second Life remains to be seen, but, we’re always up for someone bucking the system and breaking down monopolistic barriers, wherever they may be.

Read more: Second Life News Network (Via: Second Life Insider)