In his first move since IAC was split into five companies earlier this month, Scrooge McDuck money scion Barry Diller has announced plans to launch a virtual tween world, called Zwinky Cuties. "In the real world girls always love to play with dolls and dress them up and have play sets. We're trying to bring that experience in the online world," says somebody at IAC behind this project.

For a small fee, anyone can sign up and create a Cutie "avatar" (side-note: its 2008, stop trying to explain avatars what are) to "socialize, shop, and play casual games." Casual games, indeed.

Sounds a little creepy? Indeed, but a virtual world like Zwinky Cuties is bound to attract more watchdog groups like Perverted Justice than a NAMBLA convention at a playground. But Diller is already having a rough year of it, what with his tug-of-war with John Malone at Liberty Media. Perhaps associating with a walking To Catch a Predator is not the best way to rehabilitate your image.