Japanese Woman Charged with Online "Murder"
Japanese Woman Charged with Online "Murder"
October 23, 2008
A woman in Japan faces jail time after she "murdered" the avatar of the man who jilted her.
As reported by Yahoo! News, the 43-year-old piano teacher was unexpectdly dumped by her online hubby from popular MMO Maple Story. By way of payback she logged into his account and apparently deleted his avatar.
The woman has been arrested on what amounts to a hacking charge, for illegally accessing her ex's computer. She told police:
I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry.
GP: I'll confess to not having played Maple Story, so I'm ignorant of whether characters can "die". Or, are we just talking about the deletion of a character here? And, can't the people who run Maple Story retrieve the character?
If I were preparing the woman's defense, I'd argue that she had legal access to the man's account, since he apparently had given her the password at some point.
Big thanks to: GP reader Brandon for the tip!
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Posted 02/09/10 at 12:34pm
Valdearg: "just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal."
Valdearg: "just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal."
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:33pm
Valdearg: Meaning in 29 states, private sector discrimination against gays is perfectly legal.. Sickening.
Valdearg: Meaning in 29 states, private sector discrimination against gays is perfectly legal.. Sickening.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:33pm
Valdearg: 19 states have no protections, and another 10 only have protections for public sector jobs.
Valdearg: 19 states have no protections, and another 10 only have protections for public sector jobs.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:32pm
Andrew Eisen: Well, most businesses have equal rights policies in place and just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal. Still, no argument against adding such protections.
Andrew Eisen: Well, most businesses have equal rights policies in place and just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal. Still, no argument against adding such protections.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:28pm
Valdearg: More information. Apparently, it's worse than I actually thought.
Valdearg: More information. Apparently, it's worse than I actually thought.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:28pm
Valdearg: Check the link. Apparently, its more like 20 states that have no protections.
Valdearg: Check the link. Apparently, its more like 20 states that have no protections.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:26pm
Andrew Eisen: In the US? Not that I'm aware of. Sad if true.
Andrew Eisen: In the US? Not that I'm aware of. Sad if true.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:25pm
Valdearg: @AE: Actually, I think, at least for now, businesses can still discriminate against gays in a few states.. Something like 5 or 8. Its part of why Gay Rights Advocates are in support of the Employee Nondiscrimination Act, or ENDA.
Valdearg: @AE: Actually, I think, at least for now, businesses can still discriminate against gays in a few states.. Something like 5 or 8. Its part of why Gay Rights Advocates are in support of the Employee Nondiscrimination Act, or ENDA.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:22pm
Valdearg: @AE: And that's fine. Official "Church" functions are fine, despite the fact that it's discrimination, it's what I guess I would consider "acceptable" discrimination, despite the fact that I hate to use "acceptable" to define it.
Valdearg: @AE: And that's fine. Official "Church" functions are fine, despite the fact that it's discrimination, it's what I guess I would consider "acceptable" discrimination, despite the fact that I hate to use "acceptable" to define it.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:21pm
Valdearg: What's stopping someone from working with the church to declare a Catholic Corporation, that would retain it's "right" to discriminate against non-Catholics?
Valdearg: What's stopping someone from working with the church to declare a Catholic Corporation, that would retain it's "right" to discriminate against non-Catholics?
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:20pm
Valdearg: Let me ask you this. What defines something as "catholic"? There are Catholic Schools, Churchs, Charities, and even law firms.
Valdearg: Let me ask you this. What defines something as "catholic"? There are Catholic Schools, Churchs, Charities, and even law firms.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:20pm
Andrew Eisen: Indeed. You can restrict the membership of your private club however you see fit. However, a business can't refuse to hire someone based on sexual orientation.
Andrew Eisen: Indeed. You can restrict the membership of your private club however you see fit. However, a business can't refuse to hire someone based on sexual orientation.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:20pm
gellymatos: Would you hire someone against gay rights for a position of leadership in a gay rights advocacy group?
gellymatos: Would you hire someone against gay rights for a position of leadership in a gay rights advocacy group?
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:19pm
gellymatos: So, it's wrong to not hire a guy for a position specific to a belief when his belief conflicts with his position.
gellymatos: So, it's wrong to not hire a guy for a position specific to a belief when his belief conflicts with his position.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:18pm
Valdearg: And either way, it's discrimination. I'm not saying that the Government should force the church to make gay people priests, but there are plenty of other seemingly "religious" posts that really aren't all that religious.
Valdearg: And either way, it's discrimination. I'm not saying that the Government should force the church to make gay people priests, but there are plenty of other seemingly "religious" posts that really aren't all that religious.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:17pm
Valdearg: There's a fine line between Job Descrimination and Letting them practice their religious "right" to discriminate.
Valdearg: There's a fine line between Job Descrimination and Letting them practice their religious "right" to discriminate.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:15pm
gellymatos: Oh, and they are worried that "would restrict the right of a church school to employ a head teacher who shared their faith"
gellymatos: Oh, and they are worried that "would restrict the right of a church school to employ a head teacher who shared their faith"
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:15pm
Andrew Eisen: If it is separate, then the church has every right to discriminate against its own members. Put another way, the gov't has no say who the church lets in its own organization.
Andrew Eisen: If it is separate, then the church has every right to discriminate against its own members. Put another way, the gov't has no say who the church lets in its own organization.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:14pm
Andrew Eisen: Haven't read the law and not sure how it works overseas but is there a separation of church and state?
Andrew Eisen: Haven't read the law and not sure how it works overseas but is there a separation of church and state?
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:14pm
Valdearg: Like I said. He wants the Church to retain it's right to Job Discrimination. He want's the right to be above the law, and discriminate against gays. ALSO, there were provisions in the bill to prevent that scenario, with the priesthood.
Valdearg: Like I said. He wants the Church to retain it's right to Job Discrimination. He want's the right to be above the law, and discriminate against gays. ALSO, there were provisions in the bill to prevent that scenario, with the priesthood.
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Comments
Wow. That's...lame, bordering on stupid.
I'm at a loss of words here. O.o
As am I. Seriously WTF?
*shakes head* the world has completely lost its mind.
She should be executed. How dare she murder an innocent avatar. She should be drawn and quartered and have her pixels spread across the realm to warn others and make an example of her.
E. Zachary Knight
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You think they'd still be this silly if a nuke hadn't been dropped on them?
Well, technically she didn't murder his avatar. She erased him. She made it so that his avatar never existed. It's as though she can control TIME ITSELF! I for one wouldn't want to cross someone like that. The very thought makes my pixels run cold!
I don't know about the legal situation in Japan or the US, but in Germany your proposed defense wouldn't work. It would probably clear a charge of gaining access illegally, but unauthorized deletion of data is still a crime in and of itself.
In the UK you can get done for hacking if you illegally access an open network, I'm fairly sure the same is true for the US and I imagine the same would apply in this case.
While I personally know how hard it is to get Wizet/Nexon to respond to account problems, this is rather funny, though I don't think there would be much of a case if he gave her his password.
man imagine getting charged for killing people ONLINE in GTA 4, you'd think you get the electric chair
Jesus Jack Jones Thompson.... is dead... (funeral udruge, followed by Celebrate :D )
as a maplestory player im going to say she deleted the character (if your character gets killed in ms you lose a random ammount of exp (up to 15% as far as i know) its something a low lvl character can go on without worrying about but high lvl characters have to worry about)
She was charged with "murder" she was charged with"suspicion of illegally accessing a computer and manipulating electronic data, which could carry a five-year prison sentence or a fine of up to $5,000." Jeez, GP thats a BS headline if I ever heard one.
Ever hear of something called satire?
That's why there are quotation marks around the term Murder.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotation_mark#Irony
Not the best reference in the world, but it'll do.
It was worded about the same in the original Yahoo story, sans quotation marks.
Aaron "BlueWolf72" Molloy
Yes judge my client was allowed to sign into his account as he gave her the password. She chose to close the account. Ill advised but since she has the password she cant be put to blame!
The end...
Unless you honestly believe, that giving someone your car keys also gives them permission to sell the car, set it on fire or strip it for parts, you can't possibly think this is going to fly with any judge.
... Can I borrow your keys?
Its been awhile for me to have played the game, but I'm pretty sure its STRONGLY URGED that you do not share your account information. If I remember correctly, its put in the message window every so often, but i might be thinking to not share your accounts with "admins".
I know its been urged at the loading screen on occasion when you select a character to play in WoW.
First off, your car is paid for and contracted. Maple story does not register to a player's real name.
Giving away your password isn't like giving your car keys, but signing a contract of joint ownership.
That said, it was pretty bitchy of her to lash out like that, but for all we know he could have been screwing behind her back. The entire status of their relationship isn't disclosed, and with some of the stuff coming out of japan what COULD have been happening could be very bad.
SERIOUS FORKING BUSINESS
ALL-MIGHTY FACEPALM!!! Falcon... PUNCH!!! *Falcon Punches own forehead and falls backward*
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I AM DOOMED TO HAUNT JACK THOMPSON'S DREAMS UNTIL HIS CRUSADE AGAINST VIDEO GAMES ENDS.
LMAO
Would this fall under vandalism?
--- Official Protector of Videoland!
To be honest...I'm not sure what to say. I mean...first of all its a game and its probably urged that "game experience may change during online play"
...well there is the change in game experience. You piss off a girl, you get screwed. FACT!
ANYWAYS...the chances that she knows his password is pretty high. I know my GF knows pretty much all my passwords to my stuff (and I had to change some just to be on the safe side).
I just registered for the sake of reiterating this:
"The woman has been arrested on what amounts to a hacking charge, for illegally accessing her ex's computer."
She was caught hacking and is being charged for hacking. The people using 'murder' terminology are doing so in some circle jerk of issue conflation. This has never been about virtual murder, but - hey - whatever sounds cool.
i think she being charge with hacking the game not the acual delete of the ex avatar husband still crazy tho she would get mad at that.
Thanks Zaruka
Aaron "BlueWolf72" Molloy
What seems odd is the only proof they had is she told the police she did it. Unless I missed it I didnt see any mention of proof.
1) No you can only delete characters.
2) You'd think there would be people moderating an MMO but no. In the one year of playing that game I have never seen one in game moderator or have gotten a reply from an out of game moderator of some type. Essentially its a "Have fun with the hackers we care little about."
Having played maple story i think she should actually be rewarded for saving him from a horrible game O.o
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Ok i played this game for 3+ years (no longer) but this story just about slays me... first off.. IF she DELETED the mans character which is the only way i can assume he was "murdered" he must have given her ALL his info.. she needed to know birthdates passwords pins and more i do beleive.
Ok Now here are my thoughts on this silly story.. WTF was this woman thinking her pixels where "married" to other pixles. does this need more explaining?!? if she wanted the added benifits of being "married in maple" any other person woulda done just fine.
Now i feel for this guy because as i know you can end up spending lots and lots of time and real money on a character if you are buying nexon cash.
but again WHY share so much info with someone you are not TRULY married to??
So how can she have HACKED the account when he freely GAVE her the info that opened himself up to this mess. If you know the game you know first hand how often people cry "I BEEN HACKED" only to find out the "well i lent my account to so and so while i was on vacation" sorry thats your problem
just my 2 cents
So if she is convicted of "virtual murder", will she be sent to "virtual prison"?
Insanity has its toll. Please have exact change.
LOL it had to be Maple Story.
Think about it this way, your Counter-Strike Source gets deleted off your Steam account, you ask Valve/Steam, and let's say you get no response. At this point, you're not thinking about buying another CSS, you're pissed off at what happened to your current CSS. You start a credit card dispute against Valve/Steam. Same case scenario as calling the police.
The real crime here was playing that crappy game.