IBM Guidelines Govern Virtual Employees

In this photo provided by IBM Corp., a screen grab of a virtual world showing avatars is seen. IBM appears to be the first big corporation to create formal guidelines governing virtual worlds - often the haunt of gambling parlors and sexual fantasy theaters but increasingly home to mainstream companies advertising their brand or providing another communication outlet for employees spread around the world. (AP Photo/IBM Corp.) (AP)

Other rules are unique to the metaverse, which requires users to create animated avatars with distinct appearances, personalities and gestures. "Second Life," owned by San Francisco-based Linden Lab, has more than 8 million avatars; most look human, but many take the form of chipmunks, zombies or fantastic beasts.

IBM, whose 20th century employees were parodied as corporate cogs in matching navy suits, doesn't have an avatar dress code. But guidelines suggest being "especially sensitive to the appropriateness of your avatar or persona's appearance when you are meeting with IBM clients or conducting IBM business."

Rules caution workers who have multiple avatars or frequently change their avatar's appearance. It's common to have numerous avatars _ similar to having multiple e-mail addresses for work and personal use.

"Building a reputation of trust within a virtual world represents a commitment to be truthful and accountable with fellow digital citizens," IBM states. "Dramatically altering, splitting or abandoning your digital persona may be a violation of that trust. ... In the case of a digital persona used for IBM business purposes, it may violate your obligations to IBM."

The guidelines shouldn't sound heavy-handed, and it's unclear whether workers who violate them could be disciplined, said Sandy Kearney, global director of IBM's 3D Internet initiatives. Instead, she said, rules encourage ethical behavior in worlds where people often act out rapacious or rude fantasies.

"We don't want it to be the Wild West," Kearney said. "I use the metaphor of nation building: If you have a problem, you need embassies, ambassadors, governance and government."

But other business experts say IBM's guidelines may come off as stodgy _ the stereotype that Big Blue largely shook in recent years.

"I'm just not sure it's necessary," said Reuben Steiger, founder of Millions of Us, a Sausalito-based consulting firm that helps companies operate in virtual worlds. "Companies that don't bother with guidelines aren't flying blind _ the regular rules automatically extend to virtual worlds."

So far, it doesn't appear the guidelines have stifled IBMers' creativity. IBM's "metaverse evangelist," British computer scientist Ian Hughes, is a minor celebrity in "Second Life." His avatar, clearly associated with IBM, is a wicked-looking robot with dreadlocks and named "epredator Potato."

"We want it to stay an exciting place," Wladawsky-Berger said. "We don't want to be sheriff."