tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post1187614375938800896..comments2024-03-28T04:50:52.945+00:00Comments on Inventory Full: More Human Than HumanBhagpusshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-59720234010857005422014-08-12T09:44:37.777+01:002014-08-12T09:44:37.777+01:00Indeed, virtual theft has led to arrest not only i...Indeed, virtual theft has led to arrest not only in the Runescape case but also in earlier cases. This has implications for multiple (online) games where virtual property is considered as real property.Laura | Dutch Law Firm AMShttp://www.amsadvocaten.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-47498768386093995462014-08-11T22:25:01.315+01:002014-08-11T22:25:01.315+01:00Leaving aside the fanciful idea of non-human right...Leaving aside the fanciful idea of non-human rights, even just the ownership rights of non-physical property are going to be incredibly difficult to define. There are analogous positions in the physical world that might help, though.<br /><br />For example, in UK law it has already been established that actions that would constitute offenses such as assault or actual bodily harm if committed on a public street are not necessarily criminal acts when trey take place in the context of organized sport. If I kick you in the shin as you walk past me in the street I am breaking the law but if I do so on a football pitch, even though the referee may blow his whistle and produce a red card, I'm not committing a criminal act.<br /><br />Or, rather, I may not be. It depends. There have been instances where the police (who are always present at professional matches, have intervened. In the end it would have to be decided by a court. Usually, though, it would be accepted that both parties had accepted a certain level of physical conflict when agreeing to take part in the game.<br /><br />Similarly, an MMO like EVE or Darkfall might well argue that theft of virtual items, even theft by conspiracy or in-game fraud, constituted part of the accepted contract between players of the games in question. They might argue it, but of course the prosecuting authorities might not agree and neither might a jury.<br /><br />As time goes on we will see more and more of this tested in the courts. I strongly suspect that the eventual result will be games designed in such a way as to prevent the issues arising in the first place. Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-19955497029907827062014-08-11T22:13:27.338+01:002014-08-11T22:13:27.338+01:00Heh! Pretty sure it does. Or possibly non-human tr...Heh! Pretty sure it does. Or possibly non-human trafficking.Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-45385937495026724522014-08-11T11:12:54.014+01:002014-08-11T11:12:54.014+01:00does that mean when I sold an account with charact...does that mean when I sold an account with characters that i was committing slavery =pj3w3lhttp://healingthemasses.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-75105416111839435232014-08-10T16:46:24.110+01:002014-08-10T16:46:24.110+01:00One reason to be an alt pig?
-- 7rlsyOne reason to be an alt pig?<br /><br />-- 7rlsyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-30608447453340394922014-08-09T19:04:08.201+01:002014-08-09T19:04:08.201+01:00That's fascinating! It would be nuanced, but I...That's fascinating! It would be nuanced, but I think there is enough room to argue that some digital theft is in character and others are not, though it maybe a slippery slope. Once you start attaching real world value and real world intent to sell, I think the picture becomes a lot clearer though.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00289459451344261371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-35924488996539381192014-08-09T14:46:06.516+01:002014-08-09T14:46:06.516+01:00If I remember correctly, according to a Dutch cour...If I remember correctly, according to a Dutch courtcase involving (again, iirc) someone who robbed someone else's Runsecape Account's assets (not the account itself), was succesfully prosecuted for theft. This lead to people saying that now virtual property is defended by law in the Netherlands.<br /><br />Similarly (and I realize this is a rather sordid example), it has been debated that sexual offenses comitted to virtual beings should be a punishable offense as well (possession of virtual 'kiddie porn' - always considered that a rather odd English term - involving animated figures made to look like children being abused etc.) so the 'rights for virtual beings' thing may not be that far off over here. <br /><br />So it may not just be a MP's publicity stunt but becoming real in the UK as well.<br /><br />Note that in the Dutch legal system, there is a rather distinct seperation of something being an offense and being actually prosecuted (the marihuana selling 'coffee shops' being a prime example, strictly speaking they're illegal but they're tolerated/'gedogen' as long as they follow certain rules; over here we have government rules on how you are allowed to break the law consistently... ) so much of this is theory only.NetherLandsnoreply@blogger.com