Should Video Gamers Be Prosecuted For Stealing Virtual Objects?

In the article "Should Video Gamers Be Prosecuted For Stealing Virtual Objects?" Alex Weiss explains why he thinks that video games should not be prosecuted for stealing from others in an online world. Weiss begins his argument off by saying that he was also a gamer when he was younger and that the video game thefts aren't that serious. He also, says that the whole reason that the gamers actually enjoy the game is because of the known risk that their items could be taken at any point. Weiss finishes off his argument by stating that the laws from online and the laws of the real world contradict each other, making it unfair to punish the online thief. Throughout his article Alex Weiss makes an effective argument by using ethos to create common ground with the readers, using logos to mention statistics to back up his claims, and using pathos to evoke emotion in the readers.
Weiss uses ethos in his argument to make his-self seem more credible. Weiss comes out in the second paragraph "as a reformed online-gaming thief;" he does this to show that he understands what is actually happening online. Weiss wants his audience, which is intended for teenagers and gamers, to know that he has been there and that they can trust him. Weiss uses a personal anecdote to
show the readers that he was involved in fake investments and corporation thievery to show the readers that he knows what they are doing in the gaming world and he is trustworthy. Weiss also shows that he is credible by stating many different online worlds. He speaks directly of the games EVE, Runescape, and WoW to show that he has prior knowledge of the topic. Weiss stresses logos in his article "Should Gamers Be Prosecuted for Virtual Stealing?" to get people to think about the logical side of the argument.
He makes the remark "the real and virtual laws conflict" in the sixth paragraph to make the reader think. Weiss wants the reader to think about how illogical it is to mix reality laws with the online-gaming world. He supported his claim with saying that RuneScape had no rules against the act of thievery in the game; and so, punishing the thief for stealing in the virtual game would be contradictory to the virtual world. Weiss also backs up his claim with logos by indirectly saying that by playing video games the gamers are putting themselves at the risk of
thievery. Along with ethos and pathos, Weiss also uses pathos in his article to help make his argument stronger. To begin his argument against prosecuting someone for stealing a virtual item in the article, he starts off with an emotional court case that he finds to be "curious." In the court case, a teenager is convicted of stealing in an online-game; the teenager was convicted because although the item had no real value the time spent on earning the item gave it value. Weiss finds this ruling unfair to the teen because he thinks that "video games are not work or investments for which people should be compensated; they are escapism." Weiss then goes on saying that if time spent on the game was put in real money six years of playing would be worth a little more than a thousand dollars. Weiss' uses ethos, logos, and pathos to justify his claim, that it does not make sense to convict a teenager of theft for a virtual item that has no money value to it. His claim is supported very well but I do not agree with this claim. Weiss calls video games "escapism", which is what someone does to escape the real world. A painter spends hours on a painting as their own escapism, and if someone were to steal the painting, consequences would be placed on the thief; the same should be done for a video thief. I don't think that the person should be given time in prison but they should be given a small fine and have to give back the items.