Computer characters mugged in virtual crime spree

[link|http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7865|http://www.newscient...icle.ns?id=dn7865]

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 Chinese exchange student was arrested by police in Kagawa prefecture, southern Japan, the Mainichi Daily News reports.

Several players had their characters beaten and robbed of valuable virtual objects, which could have included the Earring of Wisdom or the Shield of Nightmare. The items were then fenced through a Japanese auction website, according to NCsoft, which makes Lineage II. The assailant was a character controlled by a software bot, rather than a human player, making it unbeatable.

This was inevitable. I'm just surprised the law in any country has caught up with this new form of theft. After all, no physical object has been denied from its rightful owner. You can't steal a company's electrons. Even the symbolic representations of these items have just moved from one symbolic location to another. The game company can make up whatever rules it wants but the virtual mugger had authorized access at the time and violation of game rules is not an arrestable offence.

Can't arrest for fraud 'cos the mugger exchanged the virtual items as advertised. Can't claim mugging or assault, no actual flesh was touched.

What charges can be used?

Post #220,396 by warmachine 8/22/05 8:58:32 AM Reply	Computer characters mugged in virtual crime spree [link\|http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7865\|http://www.newscient...icle.ns?id=dn7865] 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 Chinese exchange student was arrested by police in Kagawa prefecture, southern Japan, the Mainichi Daily News reports. Several players had their characters beaten and robbed of valuable virtual objects, which could have included the Earring of Wisdom or the Shield of Nightmare. The items were then fenced through a Japanese auction website, according to NCsoft, which makes Lineage II. The assailant was a character controlled by a software bot, rather than a human player, making it unbeatable. This was inevitable. I'm just surprised the law in any country has caught up with this new form of theft. After all, no physical object has been denied from its rightful owner. You can't steal a company's electrons. Even the symbolic representations of these items have just moved from one symbolic location to another. The game company can make up whatever rules it wants but the virtual mugger had authorized access at the time and violation of game rules is not an arrestable offence. Can't arrest for fraud 'cos the mugger exchanged the virtual items as advertised. Can't claim mugging or assault, no actual flesh was touched. What charges can be used? Matthew Greet Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin' else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin? - Mark Renton, Trainspotting.
Post #220,398 by imqwerky 8/22/05 9:12:42 AM Reply	My guess would be racketeering. Since the objects obtained were essentially "hot", then the reselling of those objects becomes the crime. FWIW. Peace, Amy "The notion of limited government and frugal government has been shattered by this administration, which cares far less about limited government than it does in building conservative government - a government with huge payoffs to corporate America," Allan Lichtman, a presidential historian at American University in Washington.
Post #220,400 by warmachine 8/22/05 9:21:24 AM Reply	But they're not hot Unless Japanese law is up to date with cyberspace developments, no theft took place by any legal definition. No one can be charged with activities that support a crime if no crime has taken place. Nothing is hot. Matthew Greet Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin' else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin? - Mark Renton, Trainspotting.
Post #220,403 by boxley 8/22/05 9:50:36 AM Reply	charge should be taking advantage of tards "the reason people don't buy conspiracy theories is that they think conspiracy means everyone is on the same program. Thats not how it works. Everybody has a different program. They just all want the same guy dead. Socrates was a gadfly, but I bet he took time out to screw somebodies wife" Gus Vitelli Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 49 years. meep questions, help? [link\|mailto:pappas@catholic.org\|email pappas at catholic.org]
Post #220,417 by ben_tilly 8/22/05 11:36:16 AM Reply	I don't know Japanese law, but fraud seems applicable Not fraud on the sale, but fraud in how he ran the character. Cheers, Ben I have come to believe that idealism without discipline is a quick road to disaster, while discipline without idealism is pointless. -- Aaron Ward (my brother)
Post #220,470 by Ashton 8/22/05 4:18:34 PM Reply	USSC LRPD: Department of Redundancy Department I (think (I'll (steal (your Virtual-{thingie} (at virtual-t=0?? ie. When + Where was the crime perpetrated?))))) Recursion diversion conversion: Bafflegab beats out Ebonics as Second Language! (I cannot wait to read Lectronic Law, the perpetual beta. In Katakana?)

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