A recent Wired article asking whether or not virtual rape is a crime has stirred up trouble for virtual communities everywhere. In the article, the author brings up the issues surrounding virtual sexual advances and how unwarranted advances have been compared to real world rape. The conclusion drawn at the end of the article is that while such acts may be quite awful, they are not criminal. Lawyers and activists seem to have ignored that part as a movement has started targetting all deviant behavior found in all sorts of online communities, including, but not limited to social networking sites and video games.

People Against Common Sense (PACS) is the name of a new group formed to take on online communities where this “deviant” behavior can be found. The group claims that all sorts of digitally realized crime should be punishable by the “real world” counterpart. For example, PACS suggests that a person who kills another person during an online game such as Counterstrike or Battelfield should face first degree murder charges. Similarly, underage restrictions such as those dealing with drinking, gambling, and driving will be targeted. This means that all driving games will be restricted to persons 16 and older in most US States.

PACS has already drafted a bill and almost has enough backing in the legislature to see their goals realized. Gamers everywhere are protesting, but with political candidates eager to add such legislation to their “selling points”, it’s likely that some form of PACS bill will become law.

Tags: game politics, game laws, satire