KnowProSE.com - Where One Line Can Make A Difference

Defamation can also occur in virtual spaces. People can defame other people's real-world identities in cyberspace, just as they can in real space. People can also defame players' in-world identities, or avatars, for example by falsely claiming that a particular character has cheated. Speech is defamatory when it harms one's reputation in one's community, and in theory this should include virtual communities as well. Although leaving the virtual community for a new one or creating a new identity are technically available options, they may not be a sufficient remedy if people invest a great deal of time and energy in creating their in-world personas, and value their participation in the community highly. In general, the more important virtual worlds become to people and the more time and effort they invest in them, the more likely it becomes that the law will take seriously injuries to their in-world reputation as well as their in-world possessions.