New properties of crimes in virtual environments

Abstract

Virtual reality is a technology that literally allows constructing of a new reality for its users. VR has huge potential, it is able to change social life, communications, and the academic sphere, but VR may also be applied by criminals. In the present paper properties of potentially committed crimes in VR are analyzed. It is concluded that VR provides criminals with some advantages. The first advantage is the multijurisdictional problem in prosecuting the offender that is usual for most of IT. The second advantage is that a virtual environment gives a realistic experience to the user and literally replaces the real world. The third advantage is an integration of virtual-world environments with haptic devices that may factually affect the user in the real world. All of these allow the commission of new kinds of crimes where properties of conventional and cybercrimes are combined. Among such kinds of crimes analyzed in the paper are cybercrimes that affect the body and mental state of victims. VR is researched as a first tool that in combination with haptic devices gives criminals the opportunity to commit crimes against sexual freedom and to cause physical harm. Thus, VR crimes need a special legal framework that will take into consideration this kind of crime.