Virtual crime describes acts committed within virtual worlds, most often massively multiplayer online role-playing games, that evoke the effects of a real crime such as mugging, sexual assault, theft or the construction of sweatshops, without always being widely accepted as prosecutable in the real world. Scholars dispute whether virtual crime is genuinely a new category of crime or simply an online expression of established criminal acts, since proving real-life harm from an act committed in a virtual space is difficult. It is distinct from crime depicted or simulated within video games as fictional content.
Facts
Notable ExampleIn China in 2005, Qiu Chengwei was sentenced to life in prison after stabbing and killing fellow gamer Zhu Caoyuan, who had sold on eBay a powerful in-game sword that Qiu had lent him in The Legend of Mir 3. 1 Jurisdiction VariationOfficial prosecution proceedings regarding virtual crime exist in countries like Sweden but not for a majority of the modern world. 1 Classification
Offense GradeMinor or Summary Offense 1 In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Europe, found in there.
Sources
1. Virtual crime (Wikipedia)
Types of virtual crime, Virtual theft
In the game Qiu had lent Zhu a powerful sword (a "dragon sabre"), which Zhu then went on to sell on eBay for 7,200 yuan (about £473 or US$870).
Punishment
Official prosecution proceedings regarding virtual crime currently exist in countries like Sweden but not for a majority of the modern world.
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