PIONEER PICKS CITY FOR X-RATED WEBSITE

Owner Says Vancouverites' Liberal Attitudes Ripe For Drug, Sex Crossover Site

A pioneer in Internet adult entertainment admits he chose Vancouver
for his new X-rated site because he believes the city is synonymous
with permissive attitudes toward sex and drugs.

But the site's potential for crossing over from buying virtual drugs
and sex to the real world has police concerned.

Bruce Shuster, owner of Utherverse Inc. and the popular Red Light
Centre site based on Amsterdam, set up his virtual-vancouver.com site
from his Yaletown office Oct. 5 and claims he's already had 40,000 free hits.

He's also found 1,200 people willing to pay $20 a month for VIP
membership, which is the only way for your avatar to "get naked,"
have sex, get into the "passion club," and buy alcohol and drugs --
all virtual, of course.

Shuster's advertising urges would-be investors to "throw an event . .
. charge real money for tickets and sell related merchandise from the event."

"We've got locations for all types of events: Throw a beach party, a
casino night or just a crazy club night. We even provide virtual
drinks, ecstasy, mushrooms and weed for your partiers!!"

Vancouver Const. Howard Chow said the site would be a concern if it
glamorizes drug use or illegal activities. Chow said police will keep
an eye on the site.

"If this is just a virtual life, I don't know of any criminal offence
unless it crosses over into real life," said Chow.

Of the virtual drugs on offer, Shuster says, "we've only dabbled in
hallucinogens so far" and he maintains the site can offer users a
safe way to "experience the drug-user's lifestyle."

But by January, says Shuster, the site will link to actual concerts
in Vancouver so people can start partying online, then move on to
downtown clubs.

Shuster said his site is a mixture of Facebook and Internet adult
soft porn. Whatever crossover there is between the web and real life,
Shuster's goal is "free speech" and he doesn't welcome police attention.

"I'm going to guard our users' privacy -- I don't intend to turn over
any user information to police," he said.

Shuster, who was born in Montreal but has run his Internet sites
mainly in California, said he "looked all over the world and decided
Vancouver would be the ideal city for this site."

"Vancouver has more liberal attitudes without being sleazy and there
are more permissive or non-judgmental attitudes" toward having sex
and taking drugs to enhance experiences like clubbing or concerts,
said Shuster.

RCMP drug-awareness spokesman Sgt. Scott Rintoul doesn't think
Shuster's online world is totally benign.

"Drugs facilitate sexual contact and in this kind of online setting
crossing over to the real world, there could be sexual predators
operating and they would have absolutely no clue. Everyone's mixed up
in the same game."