Wednesday, June 27, 2007

The X Button and You!

I'm sorry but I am having a hard time understanding this:
As reported by WTF Srsly
Two Belgian newspapers (De Morgen and Het Laatste Nieuws) reported today that the Brussels Court will work together with the Federal Computer Crime Unit to "patrol in Second Life" because of a virtual rape case with a Belgian Second Life user. Brussels police is currently investigating this case and says "It is our intention to find out if a crime has been committed".

How is this possible? I know, okay I think I know, that rape role-play happens in SL. I've never seen it or been involved in it but have heard that it does indeed happen. My understanding was that this was a form of role-playing a couple's sexual fantasy. I never in my wildest dreams could have thunk it to be one-sided and not have both active participants. Alas, I am mistaken. Apparently a woman against her will was raped in SL?

Here's a few things I'd like to point out:
  • What language of text was she raped in? Do they speak Begianish? What do they speak there? Is it French?
  • This was text right? Is not everyone equipped with mute & X-out options or am I just lucky?
  • Rape is a serious thing, in RL you'd fight your rapist, correct? How would you fight in SL? Ahem, this goes back to uhhh, logging out to get away.
  • When did we start treating virtual crimes as "real" crimes? Aren't we safe behind our terminals? Oh the noes!.
  • Are we really in need of policing when people are just plain dumb?
Like I said, rape is a serious offense in RL, but SL is SL. You don't need to know Kung Fu, self-defense, how to mace or thwart your attacker & scream "NO!" with conviction. It's easy-peasy... Just mute, report abuse, click X, or for advanced users Control Q isn't just for Noob gags.

REMIX: According to Vint Falken: what they were mainly doing was researching how they should react on crimes committed in virtual worlds. The newspapers brought the news wrong to have a story.
Thank you Vint :)

4 comments:

~*~ said...

I love oversensitive people.

As in, my hand loves to meet their face in a quick release of energy.

Anonymous said...

Can you get fined for speeding in a virtual racegame??

Oooh this is too funny (if it wasnt that serious).
What will they do?? Put 'm in SL jail, chop his virtual head off?
And I'm not sure about this, but Belgian computers can be switched off.

Weird.....

And in Belgium, they speak dutch and french.

Unknown said...

I love a people that have the ability to talk about a sensitive RL subject with just the right level of WTF! Kudos girls! I want to make a shirt with that art on it.

I heard of a situation that might have been very uncomfortable for a noob, but I have no idea if it is a real situation or something that someone just made up. The noob was caged and was told there was no way to get out and that the group that was doing the griefing would let her out of the cage if she stripped. I can see how a person just stumbling in to SL could fall for that. It also sets up the whole power/powerless thing that real rape is supposed to be about.

In terms of what should happen in a situation like that, I think the poor noob needs a hug and someone to teach them the ins and outs of the consensual ropes and if it happened in an area where cages and such were not allowed and there was proof, it would be nice to see griefer's accounts removed. But comparing that to a RL crime? bah!

Gen said...

HOLY CRAP BATMAN... are u serious?WOW!!!!!!! I should just sue the person who filed for being stupid and slandering our beautiful virtual worlds name with that comment. "oh..help me help me my X-button doesnt work and i cant get off this pose ball i was tricked in to clicking." Yup that actually makes me wanna shove a foot in someones pixel ass and yes they will be spitting out pixel toejam for weeks!