CONSUMER BRIEFS / VIDEO GAMES

Second Life is getting less steamy for people who want to use the virtual world for PG-rated activities, such as taking classes, prototyping buildings or designing virtual goods. For those who don’t, Second Life is moving adult-oriented content to an X-rated “continent.”

Linden Lab, the company behind Second Life, unveiled the changes as part of a broader move to let users customize the site’s content. Starting in June, Second Life’s users, who already must be 18 or older, will be able to block adult content in their searches or specifically search for adult-only items.

Property owners -- the people who operate the virtual spaces within Second Life -- will be responsible for properly tagging adult content. Linden is implementing a three-tiered rating system for the site -- PG, Mature and Adult.