Divorce - Internet Style!
Real divorce is hard enough for most people, but a woman in Japan was recently arrested for committing a real crime after her “virtual husband” divorced her.
A 43-year old woman’s unexpected divorce in a virtual game world made her so angry that she killed her online husband’s digital persona. No big deal, right? Well, in order to kill his avatar she allegedly hacked into his account.
Apparently, the woman accessed a computer and manipulated electronic data by using his identification and password to log onto the popular interactive game “Maple Story” to carry out the virtual murder, police in Sapporo, Japan said. The woman lives 620 miles from Sapporo, but her victim lives there. When confronted by police during the investigation, the woman admitted the crime and said she did it because she was angry at her online husband for divorcing her.
She did not plan any real life revenge towards the man, except for hacking into his account on the game. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison, or a fine up to $5,000.
Players in “Maple Story” raise and manipulate digital images called “avatars” that represent themselves, while engaging in relationships, social activities, and fighting against monsters and other obstacles.
Emotions and feelings play large roles in real divorces, and we all need to be mindful of that. This somewhat humorous example is a reminder of that reality.
