A Greeter Bot Disclosure Policy for Your Virtual World Description
Short answer. A virtual world greeter policy should tell visitors when they are speaking to software, what the software can do, what information it handles and how to reach a human. Put a short disclosure in the world description, repeat it at the point of interaction and make sure the bot never presents itself as a human host.
- Identify automated greeters as software before visitors interact with them.
- Describe the helper's actual duties instead of suggesting it can do everything.
- Explain how visitors can reach a human host.
- Publish a clear boundary around information collection and retention.
- Provide a manual fallback when the automated greeting service is unavailable.
Why a greeter needs an explicit introduction
The entrance to a virtual event is often the first place where visitors decide whether they feel welcome. A greeting can explain where to go, when a session starts and how to ask for assistance. When software performs that task, the distinction matters. Visitors may disclose personal information, describe a problem or assume that a friendly conversational voice belongs to a human volunteer. A clear introduction prevents that misunderstanding before it becomes a problem.
The same principle applies when a world uses an animated non-player character, a scripted avatar, a chatbot or a conversational assistant. Appearance does not establish whether someone is human. If an automated greeter can answer questions or respond to chat, visitors should be told that they are interacting with software. This is especially important in multilingual events, where an attendee may assume that a fluent response comes from a bilingual staff member.
A policy visitors can paste into a world description
The following wording is designed for a world description or event information panel. Replace the bracketed details with the actual arrangements in your world. Remove any statement that does not accurately describe the software, and check the platform's current information and privacy settings before publishing.
- AUTOMATED GREETER NOTICE
- Welcome! This world uses an automated greeter to provide basic event information, directions and routine answers. The greeter is software, not a human host or volunteer.
- The automated greeter can help you find the event area, read the published schedule and locate the human support team. It may misunderstand questions, provide outdated information or give an incomplete answer.
- For personal concerns, moderation matters, accessibility requests, complaints or anything that needs a human decision, please contact [human host name or role] at [approved contact point]. A human host is responsible for event moderation and visitor support.
- The greeter may process messages or other information needed to provide its service. Please consult [privacy information location] for details about what information is collected, who can access it and how long it is retained. Do not share passwords, private contact details or sensitive personal information with the greeter.
- You may choose not to interact with the automated greeter. To receive assistance from a person, go to [human help location] or contact [human contact method].
- By entering this world, you are not required to use the automated greeter. Its responses are informational and do not replace a human host.
Make the disclosure visible at the point of contact
A disclosure buried in a world description is useful, but it should not be the only indication that a visitor is interacting with software. Repeat a short introduction in the greeting itself. For example: "Hello! I am the automated event greeter. I can show you the schedule and direct you to the welcome area. A human host is available near the entrance." This message identifies the software, limits its role and gives the visitor a practical alternative.
Use a consistent label in chat, speech bubbles, floating text and other interaction points. If the greeter has an avatar name, avoid names that imply a real staff member. A small visible label such as "Automated Greeter" can help visitors recognize the role even after the opening message disappears. If the software switches between languages, its automated identity should remain clear in every supported language.
Define duties, limits and handoff rules
A greeter should have a short, approved information set. Typical duties include pointing visitors toward event spaces, explaining opening times, describing public accessibility arrangements and answering basic questions about the program. Keep this information separate from decisions that require judgment. A greeter should not independently resolve complaints, determine whether a visitor has violated community rules or promise that a particular person will receive special treatment.
A useful handoff rule is to involve a human whenever a visitor asks about safety, moderation, harassment, a personal difficulty or information that the greeter does not have permission to provide. The software can explain how to contact staff, but a person must receive the request and decide what happens next. If nobody is available, publish the actual response window and provide a reasonable alternative for urgent event concerns.
- Routine directions and published schedules.
- Basic information about event rooms and public activities.
- Links or instructions for finding human staff, where the platform supports them.
- Escalation of complaints, safety concerns and uncertain requests.
- No independent moderation decisions or promises about individual outcomes.
Set boundaries for multilingual conversations
Live translation for virtual events can make a world more accessible, but translation quality and language availability vary. A greeter that responds in several languages should explain that its translations may contain errors. Do not describe a translated message as an official interpretation unless a qualified human service actually provides that role. For important instructions, publish an approved written version in the languages the event supports.
A multilingual event host should also distinguish translation from live captions. Translation changes the language of a message, while captions represent spoken content in text and may or may not translate it. Visitors need to know which service they are using. When a translation seems wrong, give them a human route to request clarification. Avoid collecting additional personal information simply to identify a visitor's language preference.
Privacy and service continuity belong in the policy
The policy should describe information handling in language visitors can understand. Identify whether the greeter receives typed messages, voice input, interaction history or other data. Explain whether conversations are retained and who can access them. Do not promise that information is private, anonymous or immediately deleted unless the actual service configuration and platform documentation support that statement. Where a third-party service is involved, identify the relevant privacy information.
Prepare for an outage before the event opens. A printed or pinned schedule, a staffed welcome point and a simple directional sign can preserve the visitor experience if the greeter stops responding. The human host should know how to disable an incorrect automated message and how to take over the welcome role. If the software is unavailable, visitors should not be left guessing whether the event has been canceled.
Publish the policy and assign ownership
A disclosure policy only works when someone maintains it. Assign one event organizer to approve changes to the greeter's information, update the human contact details and remove outdated claims. Revisit the wording whenever the software gains a new permission, begins processing another kind of information or changes its interaction method. Product capabilities and platform rules can vary by version and region, so consult the relevant primary documentation before changing the description.
Before the next public opening, paste the policy into the world description, place the short disclosure beside the greeter and appoint a named human role for escalations. Ask a volunteer unfamiliar with the setup to read the visitor-facing wording and identify anything that could be misunderstood. Make corrections before the room fills.
Questions readers ask
Does an animated NPC need to identify itself as automated?
If it performs a greeting or conversational function without a human controlling the interaction, visitors should be told that it is automated. Its appearance or character design should not be the only indication of its nature.
What if a human volunteer sometimes controls the greeter avatar?
Explain the distinction clearly. The visitor should know when a person is speaking and when a scripted or AI-assisted response is being provided.
Where should the human contact information appear?
Put it in the world description and repeat it in the greeter's opening message. A visible help location is useful for visitors who cannot easily copy or open a contact address.
How should organizers handle a wrong answer?
Give visitors a direct correction route and let a human publish the authoritative information. Update the approved answer set so the same misleading response is less likely to recur.
What should happen when no human host is available?
State the actual support arrangements and provide a non-interactive information source. Do not let the greeter imply that a human is monitoring messages when nobody has that responsibility.