Not sure if I agree; technologies like Facebook and Myspace got incredible press without delivering anything meaningful. Right now I'm at an event in Second Life listening to Luis Moreno-Ocampo and the Justice Commons at http://justicecenter.net speak with world leaders on war, genocide and the most difficult social struggles of our time. This international dialogue is easily open to us, with a backchannel and art and interactivity Q&A, thanks to Second Life. SL and virtual worlds have a vital role in the social media landscape but we are just now figuring out how to use these platforms most effectively.

I agree that Second Life supports valuable and creative interactions, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's not overhyped as a platform for marketing. I think the extent to which it's perceived and sold as a marketing platform (and that's definitely happening) is the extent to which substance and creativity within the system may be in jeopardy.