Blodgetts Model blog post with revisions

Blodgett's model of Virtual Collective Action contains four factors, each containing a number of different variables.  The first factor is the degree of virtualization.  This idea applies to the amount of action taken to organize and carry out a social movement is done within the virtual world, as opposed to real life.  For example, if every bit of advertisement for a rally takes place within Second Life, the degree of virtualization is at its highest.  The second factor is legality.  Legality refers both to real life laws that apply within the game and also to rules of the game.  We used the example of rules of sports games that circumvent government laws.  For example, a slashing penalty in hockey only earns a player a two minute penalty in the game, but would earn an assault with a weapon charge if the action were taken off the ice.  This example makes it easier to understand how game rules in online worlds work together with, work around, or conflict with real-life laws.  How does this tie into virtual protest?  Some things are not possible to do within the parameters of the game's infrastructure.  Others actions within the game, or even outside of the game (while pertaining to in-game activity) can bring about real-life legal issues.  The third factor is cultural homogeneity.  This factor is less relevant in virtual protests than in real life, since most players conform to the culture of the game or world they are involved in.  However, interests are similar in the case of the protesters, or they wouldn't be protesting together on a given issue in the first place.  The final factor is limitation of participation.  This has to do with who can and cannot participate.  If there is a protest within World of Warcraft, one who does not have World of Warcraft cannot participate in the protest.
We read about a few virtual protests, like the lag protests in WoW, the corruption scandal in EvE, and the political and economic movements within Second Life.  There are other virtual protests as well.  Second Life and Reddit have recently become destinations for the Occupy Wall St. protests, as people gather within the virtual worlds and hold up virtual signs, like people do in the real world.  Second Life is a good destination for a protest, since many corporations use the service, and conduct business within the world.  Also, many people who are simply within the world see the protest, which is the goal of the protestors.
These Occupy protests have a somewhat low degree of virtualization, since the larger portion of the protest occurs outside of the virtual world.  This is just a branch of the larger protest.  It is perfectly legal, since the protesting avatars will not be head-butting any real police officers.  Also, within the parameters of the game infrastructure, protesting is entirely possible.  Although Second Life users come from many different cultural backgrounds, these "occupiers" are mostly American, and mostly middle class, with the interest of sparking change in the world of big corporations receiving unwarranted benefits, so the movement is not culturally homogenous, but homogeneous in interest.  Finally, since there are many outlets for this virtual protest, like Second Life, Blue Mars, and Reddit, there is a wide pool of users who can partake in this protest within a virtual world.
The Occupy movement within Second Life, as well as the IBM protest are examples of real life issues crossing over into the virtual world.  The protests in WoW and EvE are examples of protests that happen only because of issues within the game.  Such things happen in Second Life as well.  When Linden Labs raised the prices in one of the more popular regions back in 2008, hundreds of users holding virtual signs gathered outside Linden's office in Second Life and set themselves on fire.  The story can be seen at
http://gigaom.com/2008/10/30/protest-threatens-linden-labs-profitability/.