El Fuego ([info]phreakhead) wrote in [info]_wtf,
@ 2005-08-18 11:23:00
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Cyberspace is taking over Japan
Computer characters mugged in virtual crime spree

From the article:

A man has been arrested in Japan on suspicion carrying out a virtual mugging spree by using software "bots" to beat up and rob characters in the online computer game Lineage II. The stolen virtual possessions were then exchanged for real cash.

The thing I don't get is WTF was he charged with when he was arrested? It seems incredibly stupid to me to arrest someone for what he did in a video game! It's a game people!!! We don't see kids being arrested for fragging other players in Halo, or shooting cops in Grand Theft Auto, so why did this man get arrested for stealing something that doesn't even exist?

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[info]sugarcane_moon
2005-08-18 06:36 pm UTC (link)
I want the level 60 bastards who camped my poor 30 NE huntress on WoW to be charged by the cops. :P

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[info]dead_faery101
2005-08-18 06:39 pm UTC (link)
The stolen virtual possessions were then exchanged for real cash.
^ does that mean that he sold the VIRTUAL items he got, he sold them for real money for virtual money?

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[info]my_valentine
2005-08-18 06:46 pm UTC (link)
its a peculiar thing,

back when i use to play online rpgs, on ebay high level accounts were being sold for up to 1000 usd, rare items rewards and such were being sold for other ammounts, its kinda like livejournal, paying for privelages, I like ot pretend that by having a paid account It forces me to keep in contact with my lj friends.

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[info]phreakhead
2005-08-18 06:46 pm UTC (link)
I think he sold the virtual items for real cash on a special video game auction website exactly for that purpose.

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[info]macarisma_
2005-08-18 07:15 pm UTC (link)
Dreeeeeeeeedddggggggg <33333

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[info]iscari0t
2005-08-19 12:53 am UTC (link)
It's because since he stole it in a game and sold them for real world stuff, it's a violation of International Copyright law. The items in the game don't belong to people, they belong to the game company. Therefore, selling them irl = larceny * copyright infringement.


-special-

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only in japan
[info]crystalplumage
2005-08-19 07:36 am UTC (link)
and you can be charged for the weirdest stuff in japan .
They are sort of owned by the yakuza,if you get my drift .
There is a reason underage brothels exist there and are not ever busted ..
so he must have pissed someone off ..

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What is the crime?
[info]tavi
2005-08-21 02:52 pm UTC (link)
At what point did the person commit a crime? Violating the rules of an online game (private corporation) doesn't seem like a crime to me, so I imagine the crime is not running the bots or taking the virtual items. These things should just have led to the guy losing his account and to having the virtual items restored. Now if the virtual items have a legally tradeable value (if the game company allows trading of virtual items for cash) then the virtual theft would be a form of real theft. Just because the theft happens in a computer it doesn't mean anything if the thing being stolen is tradeable for real world money. An analogy to the Halo example is if when you frag someone in Halo you are knowingly physically harming someone in real life (if there is a relationship between virtual damage and real world damage) then it probably would be a crime.

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Re: What is the crime?
[info]phreakhead
2005-08-22 04:35 pm UTC (link)
Yes, but that's exactly why the Halo controllers don't have knives that shoot out everytime you get fragged because that wouldn't be a very good game. However, the Lineage II designers made it possible to mug people in the game, even though it you use that feature you'll get arrested. Why would they even put it in the game if it was illegal to use it?

Or maybe the selling of items to the real world is illegal? Then why isn't the auction site being shut down?

I don't understand Japan at all.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
Re: What is the crime?
[info]phreakhead
2005-08-22 04:37 pm UTC (link)
Of course, using bots is probably against the EULA, but still that sounds like a civil case where the guy should get sued, not arrested.

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