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15 November 2007

WTF Teenagers nicked for stealing virtual furniture. I feel old.

post by: seanyboy at: 07:23 | 12 comments

Heard about this on NPR this morning. Apparently since actual money got spent for this virtual stuff to start with, it's worth something, so if it's stolen, that's theft? I feel sorry for the judge and jury on this one.

posted by PaxDigita 15 November | 08:02

Yeah, I read about this yesterday, I think. I have no idea what's going on any more.

posted by TheDonF 15 November | 08:16

It baffled me too.

posted by essexjan 15 November | 08:34

This story, and others like it from Second Life, raises a question: why in hell would someone pay real money for unreal furniture? It's not like you need raw materials to work with, as in real furniture, and if it's the workmanship, well, you could just copy that. Is it just laziness?

posted by deadcowdan 15 November | 08:39

It's the ultimate in consumer level environmentalism. You can buy stuff, but it doesn't take anything from the real world.

posted by drezdn 15 November | 09:28

People are still using Habbo Hotel??? Whoa.

posted by iconomy 15 November | 10:01

Virtual theft is a growing issue in virtual worlds; in 2005 a Chinese gamer was stabbed to death in a row over a sword in a game.

Shanghai gamer Qiu Chengwei killed player Zhu Caoyuan when he discovered he had sold a "dragon sabre" he had been loaned.

Whoa. WHOA.

posted by BoringPostcards 15 November | 10:20

I have little sympathy for the 'victims,' who were stupid enough to buy imaginary shit with real funds.

posted by mudpuppie 15 November | 13:06

(Reminds me of a Garrison Keillor quote, which says something like "Lotteries are a tax on people who are bad at math.")

posted by mudpuppie 15 November | 13:07

It's the ultimate in consumer level environmentalism. You can buy stuff, but it doesn't take anything from the real world.

Not so much, actually...

posted by TheDonF 15 November | 15:00

I saw this in the paper yesterday and my first thought was "it's a brave person who will admit to paying real currency for virtual furniture in the first place and then admit to having it stolen" For that, I salute them. Otherwise though, talk about taking candy from a baby.

What did that Chinese guy stab the other one with if he had lost his sword?

posted by dg 15 November | 15:53

I... am speechless.

posted by Specklet 15 November | 16:09

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