Why Must You Be Mean to Me? Crime and the Online Persona

The development of online social spaces such as YouTube, MySpace, and Second Life has created new opportunities for their users to behave toward others in a way that would amount to offenses such as harassment if conducted offline. It has also enabled users to create online personae that are distinct from, and not obviously connected to, their real-world personalities. This article explores the question whether, and if so on what basis, criminal law should be extended to cover attacks on online personae where it cannot be proved either that the attacker intended to damage the director or that such damage was an expected consequence.