DOI
https://doi.org/10.3916/C40-2013-02-05

Summary
The analysis of power relations in a virtual world is presented in this article. The Habbo Hotel was chosen as an example case of the virtual world. It is an international virtual world mainly aimed at teenagers. The authors examined the power relationships between the moderators and users. The research questions were dedicated to identifying how the rules and constraints impact the users’ behavior and what level of freedom is identified by the users. The authors discuss the set of rules applied in the virtual world Habbo Hotel, how obeying the rules is guaranteed, and the challenges the moderators meet while ensuring discipline. In conclusion, although the users learn some social and political lessons in the virtual world, the rules make the learning process less empowering compared to schools or families where possibility to question authority persists.

Relevance for Complex Systems Knowledge
The authors state that participating in online world activities can have educational value in economic, political and social fields for students. Students learn about the power of society and the discipline. They also develop creativity and negotiation skills. These skills are valuable in solving real-life problems. Although authors do not negate the benefit of informal learning in the virtual worlds, they mention that the virtual world analyzed in the research does not correspond to the democratic values and have many ethical issues regarding to developing a responsible and socially aware citizen.

Point of Strength
The point of strength of this article is that it raises advantages and disadvantages of learning about power and citizenship in an online virtual world including ethical issues.