Do Real-Life Laws Apply to Virtual Worlds?

[mandy]

I've been wondering what would happen if there were drug dealers or terrorists lurking in virtual worlds such as Second Life. If the FBI or National Security Agency wanted to place wiretaps on conversations in those worlds, would they be able to do it? And if they did record conversations in virtual worlds, could the people spied upon escape prosecution by saying that they were only pretending to be terrorists or drug dealers?

My interest is theoretical at the moment. Interpol has said there are criminal elements operating in virtual worlds, but let's not panic. There is enough fear-mongering out there about all the trouble we can get into online.

But this topic is a persistent one at conferences such as Virtual Worlds, which drew more than a thousand people to San Jose, Calif., this fall...

full article: http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/60129.html

[accentnepal]

If you smoke a virtual joint then you go to virtual prison. 

[BellisimaJ.]

[quote author=accentnepal link=topic=16812.msg66097#msg66097 date=1194299265]
If you smoke a virtual joint then you go to virtual prison. 
[/quote]