On
ancient maps you
would often see
drawings of dragons
and monsters in some
parts of the world.
In some cases these
would be labeled
with the words…
‘there be dragons’.
What this meant to
imply was that these
areas were uncharted
and unknown. You
would be wise to
avoid traveling or
sailing in these
parts. Don’t go
there.
Likewise I’m of the
opinion that we need
to tread cautiously
in areas which are
relevant in today’s
world. We should not
jump to conclusions
and make decisions
out of haste.
Anymore than we
might have sailed
off into uncharted
waters without a map
to guide us.
In my opinion, some
of today’s events
fall into this
category of
‘uncharted waters’.
Today’s example
concerns the arrest
of a Japanese woman
who faces a prison
sentence of up to
five years as well
as a possible fine
of almost $5,000.
Her alleged crime?
She obtained her
online husbands
password and deleted
his character in an
online virtual game
called ‘Maple
Story’. According to
the Japanese
authorities, this
woman became angry
when she found out
that her online
husband had decided
to divorce her
without her
knowledge. She then
obtained the online
husbands pass word,
entered the game and
killed off his
character. Once he
(the online husband)
found out that he
had been murdered,
he reported the
woman (a piano
teacher) to the
police and she was
arrested.
Then she was driven
by the police to the
town where the
on-line husband
lived, a distance of
nearly 1,000 miles.
At this time she was
arrested on
suspicion of
accessing a computer
and manipulating
electronic data.
Now, let’s see if
I’ve got this
correct. A piano
teacher in Japan
gets involved in a
virtual (not real
life) game called
‘Maple Story’ and
ends up having a
on-line (also not
real) husband who
she is ‘virtually’
married to. The not
real on-line husband
virtually ‘divorces’
the character
belonging to the
piano teacher
without telling her
he was going to do
so. She finds out,
gets upset, and
enters the on-line
game, using his
password kills off
the on-line husbands
avatar or virtual
character. This
effectively kicked
him out of the game.
For this she is
arrested and faces
prison and a fine.
Ladies and
gentlemen, there be
dragons. Don’t go
there.
This is absurd. This
is unreal. This is
nuts.
While I can see
someone being fined
for illegally
accessing someone’s
computer, such as
happened last month
to the Republican
vice-presidential
candidate. Do we
need to jail or send
to prison more
people for violating
the rights of
‘virtual’
characters?
Come on, it’s a
game. It isn’t real.
Life is real. Why
didn’t the guy have
a real wife or
someone?
On the same hand why
didn’t the piano
teacher have a real
husband or someone
as well?
Is this where we’re
heading? Into a
world where we
become on-line
characters playing
at experiences
rather than living
them in the real
world, not some
artificial ‘virtual’
world?
I have no problem
with people playing
games or enjoying
their computers, but
I do think we have
to draw the line at
some point.
Arresting someone
for a virtual crime
is a little
different than
actual murder, isn’t
it? These types of
activities need to
be moderated by the
people who run the
games and not the
police. If this
trend continues,
then all of us who
send e-mails or
write on someone’s
blog are subject to
some form of legal
action. Will we get
to the point where
what we say has to
be sanitized so well
that our opinions
never reach any
logical conclusion
or have any impact?
What if I slander
some on-line virtual
character who isn’t
real? Will I be
subject to the same
rules as if that
person was alive and
offended?
What’s next…..?
Alimony and child
support if I were to
be ‘virtually’
married and have a
virtual child? I
don’t know this much
about these games
but what if I’m
driving a car and
have an accident?
Can I be sued?
This stuff drives me
crazy. People need
to get a life and
turn that computer
off and just walk
next door and talk
to a real life human
being. Call your
mother. Do
something, but go
out and be with
people who will cry
and come to your
funeral when you
die.
I doubt any
‘virtual’ husband or
wife will be able to
make it.
