Divorce Wars: Woman Kills Hubby's Avatar

Japanese Woman Charged With Illegally Accessing Online Husband's Computer

(AP)  A 43-year-old Japanese piano teacher's sudden divorce from her online husband in a virtual game world made her so angry that she logged on and killed his digital persona, police said Thursday.

The woman, who has been jailed on suspicion of illegally accessing a computer and manipulating electronic data, used his identification and password to log onto popular interactive game "Maple Story" to carry out the virtual murder in mid-May, a police official in northern Sapporo City said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

"I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry," the official quoted her as telling investigators and admitting the allegations.

The woman had not plotted any revenge in the real world, the official said.

She has not yet been formally charged, but if convicted could face a prison term of up to five years or a fine up to $5,000.

As in "Second Life" in the U.S., 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.

The woman used login information she got from the 33-year-old office worker when their characters were happily married, and killed the character. The man complained to police when he discovered that his beloved online avatar was dead.

The woman was arrested Wednesday and was taken across the country, traveling 620 miles from her home in southern Miyazaki to be detained in Sappporo, where the man lives, the official said.

The police official said he did not know if she was married in the real world.

In recent years, virtual lives have had consequences in the real world. In August, a woman was charged in Delaware with plotting the real-life abduction of a boyfriend she met through "Second Life."

In Tokyo, police arrested a 16-year-old boy on charges of swindling virtual currency worth $360,000 in an interactive role playing game by manipulating another player's portfolio using a stolen ID and password.

Virtual games are popular in Japan, and "Second Life" has drawn a fair number of Japanese participants. They rank third by nationality among users, after Americans and Brazilians.

[volleymom3]

You have got to be kidding me. This is why I do not play video or computer games. He should have never given her the password!

[barbaraf4]

These people are pathetic and they need to get real lives.

[yongamerica]

What event is more pathetic:
Murdering your make-believe husband or being arrested for the make-believe murder?

As with any massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) under mitigating circumstances, such as the one described here, your avatar and all its pretend belongings can be restored by a "Game Master".

No harm done here other than taking a game a bit too seriously.

[incog-nito]

What a joke. Why don''t they send her avatar to virtual prison for committing a virtual crime? Maybe they should send the virtual police to track her down.

[random_radar]

"These people are pathetic and they need to get real lives.

Posted by Barbaraf4 at 11:38 AM : Oct 23, 2008"

Like us? Would you know a real life if you had one? Blog on!

[crescentgirl]

She wasn''t arrested for the "virtual murder" that she commited in the game...but, for logging in and using his profile to kill the character. So, it must be something equivalent to identity theft for stealing the password and other personal info. But, what i don''t understand is...it looks like he actually gave her the info...during their "virtual marriage". So, if he willingly gave her the info...how is it identiy theft? Five years in prison and a $5,000 fine...i think that''s a bit harsh...considering he gave her the info of his own free will. Doesn''t make sense.

[andrew_693]

in other stupids news Pac man was murdered by a purple ghost last night. The police are investigating.

[keith.butler]

This is how the Matrix began, isn''t it?
Doo Doo, Doo Doo. Doo Doo, Doo Doo. Doo Doo, Doo Doo. Doo Doo, Doo Doo.

[easeup-2009]

Jailed for a computer game?????

I can''t imagine how hard it was for the police to keep a straight face when this dork walked in.......

[gop_will_win]

Oh this is terrible. I play an online game called "The Good Christian". In it we can earn credits for our character by doing good deeds like voting republican in every election. If we earn enough credits we are allowed into heaven.

[questionnews]

I can''t wait for this election to be over so that
g0p_will_win or one of the many names this dweeb is using will be unemployed & goes back to collecting cans for a living. They are such losers!!!!

[gop_will_win]

I can''''t wait for this election to be over so that
g0p_will_win or one of the many names this dweeb is using will be unemployed & goes back to collecting cans for a living. They are such losers!!!!


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Posted by Questionnews
======================
I only use this one and Mrs_Premise. The others are used by other people who think correctly like I do.

[ybotheratall]

Posted by Questionnews at 01:51 PM

Sadly, these idiots will be around no matter what. In a posting about an online avatar kill, they will find a way to bully their way in with their stupid comments that no one listens to.

If they didn''t use such stupid, made up terminology like "drinking the kool aid" and "neocon" and all sorts of made up stupidity and actually talked, someone might have listened.

[upto1947]

You all need to get a life. The idiots on her are the ones who think they know every thing. YBotherAtAll
gop_will_win. you 2 win.

[antoniof123]

She has not yet been formally charged, but if convicted could face a prison term of up to five years or a fine up to $5,000.

For a video game, can anyone see the look on the judges face when he reads the sentence.

He will be laughing too hard to hand it down.

[cdfoxtrot4]

"She has not yet been formally charged, but if convicted could face a prison term of up to five years or a fine up to $5,000."
Huh? No one died. If she killed his dog or cat, what would the penalty be? A slap on the wrist? Five years for dicking around with a computer and no-one lost any money and no-one died. Well, that''s a bit excessive.

[questionnews]

h0wzilla

Same cr@p, different alias.

My God man!

How many names are you operating under??

[easeup-2009]

Oh this is terrible. I play an online game called "The Good Christian". In it we can earn credits for our character by doing good deeds like voting republican in every election. If we earn enough credits we are allowed into heaven.

Posted by gop_will_win at 01:44 PM : Oct 23, 2008

If you kill a liberal do you run over them to get their health & ammo?

[gop_will_win]

If you kill a liberal do you run over them to get their health & ammo?


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Posted by easeup
=================
Yes and bonus points for heaven.

[questionnews]

Questi0nnews

*note the slight spelling change


HoooRayyyyyyy

Some little angry putz has honored me by imitating my handle!!! Gee nobody has ever seen that before.
And it''s the paid political poster!!
(What''s the matter h0wzilla, did the dog pee in your shoe this morning??)
Do you get a bonus for that??
I must have honked him off by mocking the manure he gets paid to post. He''s probably also pizzed because in a couple weeks he will have to go back to holding a cardboard sign on the freeway off ramp.

I finally made the big time!!!....Thank you......Thank you.......Thank.....Thank you..... I''m honored......Thank you.

[easeup-2009]

Posted by Questionnews at 03:44 PM : Oct 23, 2008

Congrats!

Just don''t forget the little people you stepped on while on your way to the top.

[barcar55]

You Democrats always seem to make something politcal out of every story there is. You just have to post your opinions somewhere because apparently no one else is listening to you. Stick to the subject.

I have noticed your kind is always bashing McCain, Palin, Bush just like Jeremiah Wright blasts all white people even though he appears to have a whole lot of white in him. Talk about hate and negativity. That is the message Democrats and the liberal media are spouting. This country was based upon God. Our forefathers prayed & fasted before writing the Constitution. You liberals sure don''t have a problem spending your money that is clearly marked "In God We Trust".

[gheemaster38]

UMmmmmm! what was this story about again??

[easeup-2009]

UMmmmmm! what was this story about again??

Posted by gheemaster38 at 04:30 PM : Oct 23, 2008

questionnews has a stalker & people are really getting sick of the wacky political cut/pasters.

Anything else?

[easeup-2009]

Upon further review, that looks like the gayest game ever.

[ybotheratall]

An actual comment on the STORY, who would have thought! They were not married in real life and there was no divorce. The story, the people, the game and those who thought this newsworthy are all ridiculous.

[piercetheval]

...whatever happened to ''Pinball''...I liked ''Pinball''.

[mochapman522]

Wow! I really think her Avatar should be charged with murder in the Maple Story Criminal Affairs Court. Anything other than that can''t be justice.

[differnet]

Real lesson of this is don''t give your passwords to anyone or if you do and divorce them, change your password. Sure, she shouldn''t have used it, but this is common computer security.

[blackyowe]

Me thinks the Japanese need to "Get a Life!"

[eggy1620]

%u201CThe man complained to police when he discovered that his beloved online avatar was dead.%u201D

That speaks volumes. She should be released and he should be locked away.

[sarahr8]

You have got to be kidding me! Can we say P R E T E N D??? Are we seriously back to preschool lessons? An apple is real, you can eat it. A picture of an apple you cannot eat. It may have some value if you are an artist or photographer and it is your work. This was supposed to be a game? Talk about political correctness taken to an extreme! "Play nice" is appropriate but one would question the appropriateness of jail time? The guy was probably better off in real life not having drug her into his real physical reality, if he will just think about it... Stories like this make me pretty glad I don''t have masses of time to waste online pretending a different life for myself... Fruitcakes apparently abound...