Document Type
Article
Publication details
Post-print of: Adrian, A 2010, 'Beyond griefing: virtual crime', Computer Law & Security Review, vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 640-648.
Published version available from:
Peer Reviewed
Peer-Reviewed
Abstract
Because there is so much money involved in virtual worlds these days, there has been an increase in criminal activity in these worlds as well. The gaming community calls people who promote conflict “griefers”. Griefers are people who like nothing better than to kill team-mates or obstruct the game’s objectives. Griefers scam, cheat and abuse. Recently, they have begun to set up Ponzi schemes. In games that attempt to encourage complex and enduring interactions among thousands of players, “griefing” has evolved from being an isolated nuisance to a social disease. Much in the same way crime has become the real world’s social disease. Grief is turning into crime.