Second Life has been continually debated regarding the status as a virtual world, a computer game or talker. Contrary to a traditional computer game, it has no specific objective or goal, or even traditional rules and mechanics in playing. Second Life can also be debated that it is a multi-user virtual world because it focuses around interaction between multiple users. Previously Second Life offers two main grids where in one for adults that are 18 and above and those for teens. But because of the operating costs in August 2010 Linden Labs shut down the teen grid. Ever since then the users can sign up for a free account if they are above 16 years old. For educators they can avail limited accounts that use Second Life with younger students. Avatars may take any form users choose (human, animal, vegetable, mineral, or combination thereof) or residents may choose to resemble themselves as they are in real life or they may choose even more abstract forms, given that almost every aspect of an avatar is fully customizable. Second Life Culture comprises many activities and behaviors that are also present in real life. A single resident may have only one avatar at a time, although the appearance of this avatar can change between many different forms as the resident wishes. Avatar forms, like almost everything in Second Life, can be either created by the user, or brought pre-made. A single person may also have multiple accounts, and thus appear to be multiple Residents.

Second Life is the leading 3D virtual world where in people meet and socialize with others, play games, enjoy live music, make and explore virtual environments, shop for virtual goods and participate in the world’s largest user generated virtual goods economy. And now Second Life has many smaller competitors like Twinity, Smeet, Smallworlds, IMVU, Active Worlds, Onverse, Kaneva, Utherverse and Blue Mars. There is no charge for creating a Second Life account or for making use of the world for any period of time. Linden Lab services reserves the right to charge for the creation of large numbers of multiple accounts for a single person (5 per household, 2 per 24 hours) but at present does not do so. A Premium membership (US$ 9.95 / month, US$22.50 quarterly, or US$ 72 per year) extends access to an increase level of technical support, and also pays an automatic stipend of L$300 per week into the members avatar account (down from the original stipend of L$500, which is still paid to older accounts; certain accounts created during an earlier period may received L$400). This stipend, paid into the member avatars account, means the actual cost for the benefit of the extended tech support for an annual payment of US$72 is only US$14. However, the vast majority of casual users of Second Life do not upgrade beyond the free basic account.