Crime in Virtual Worlds: The Limits of Criminal Law
International Review of Law, Computers, and Technology, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 175-182, July 2010
Posted: 21 Oct 2010
Date Written: October, 19 2010
Abstract
Virtual worlds such as Second life are not immune from crime. Their users can misuse their computer skills to damage virtual property or to control avatars of other users. Most of those behaviours fall within the remit of the computer misuse offences, as there is unauthorised access and unauthorised act impairing the use of computer. However, beside those offences, can criminal law of England and Wales cover a variety of problematic behaviours that can be committed in virtual worlds? This article aims at sketching an outline of those various issues and the possible answers criminal law can or cannot bring, whether we consider the offences protecting property or the offences related to the person and public order.
Keywords: virtual worlds, crime, property, persons
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