Mafias in virtual worlds

[iago]

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2009/11/virtual_mafia_i.html

This story is a bit old, but Schneier reminded me about it today.

Basically, in one online game (The Sims Online, I think?) they allow players to penalize each other, and players with a low reputation get penalties or something. So a group of people got together and started racketeering -- basically, if you don't pay them protection or give them what they want, a whole bunch of them will penalize you, lowering your rep so far that the game becomes unplayable.

It's actually a really funny situation -- an accident side effect of a feature that probably seemed good at the time.

[rabbit]

Awesome.  I join play The Sims Online and start an IRA.  Any Irish user will be welcome, and any British user will have their house pipe-bombed.  Anyone else can pay us money, and when someone tries to extort any of us, we kill their character.

[Blaze]

What's even more fun, is when these sort of things are allowed.  You then get mafias fighting each other over harassing new players.  Very interesting to watch.

[Camel]

www.there.com

My avatar is Camel