An article on MSNBC asking if we need an online sheriff really got me thinking. Online gaming as a trend has really picked up. More and more people have been playing it and unfortunately, it has also attracted unsavory elements of our society. Under the cover of anonymity the Internet provides, these people do things online that most wouldn't dare do in real life. It's not about simple griefing or playing a prank anymore because people are getting hurt emotionally.

Whether players like it or not, everyone brings their social and cultural taboos wherever they go, and that includes online gaming where we choose avatars to represent us. When someone violates some of these principles, even virtually, it indirectly affects all of us. Cases of muggings in MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft, child pornography, or even the recent rape case in Second Life have already been reported. Will this trend continue?

Sure you can go on and argue "if you don't like what we're doing, then don't play". Perhaps it is time to forget about asking people to act more maturely because the fact of the matter is, it doesn't seem to be working. What we need are the companies who produce these games to draw the line and tell these people "enough is enough". We do have an "online sheriff" in these companies and they should start cleaning up the place.

Remember, while it can occasionally be funny when we pull a prank on a person, people should know their limits, both in real life and in the online world.