Will the IRS tax your ATS points?

Anyone on ATS/BTS is aware of the point system that is in use on this site. Some members care about the number of points that they accumulate and, conversely, some don't. Whatever the case may be, everyone who starts a thread or replies to one "earns" points.

By and large, the only value that these points offer members are "bragging rights" for having accumulated whatever amount of points that they might have. Of course, there is a value to these points when they are used to "purchase" something from the ATS "store". But even these "purchases" are rather nebulous in that we are buying avatars and admission into certain forums. I have to ask, however, doesn't this give these points a value?

If I were to "purchase" an avatar or some descriptive line or custom background color, I am using my points to "purchase" something of value even if it only has a personal value. When I purchase admission to a special forum, again, my points have a value that allows me to gain access to something that would otherwise be restricted. When viewed this way, our "useless" points have gained an intrinsic value.

Can the Internal Revenue Service, or whatever the taxation departments are called in the various countries in which ATS members reside, come after us for taxes on our virtual assets -- our ATS points?

can our points be taxed?