China used prisoners in lucrative internet gold farming gaming work

This sounds really cruel. I don't think anyone should be forced to sit in front of a computer monitor for ours playing games. About people purchasing virtual credit with real credit is just bad investment. Don't people have better things to do with real credits. I'm sure a starving child some where would appreciate their donation.

Liu says he was one of scores of prisoners forced to play online games to build up credits that prison guards would then trade for real money. The 54-year-old, a former prison guard who was jailed for three years in 2004 for "illegally petitioning" the central government about corruption in his hometown, reckons the operation was even more lucrative than the physical labour that prisoners were also forced to do.

"Prison bosses made more money forcing inmates to play games than they do forcing people to do manual labour," Liu told the Guardian. "There were 300 prisoners forced to play games. We worked 12-hour shifts in the camp. I heard them say they could earn 5,000-6,000rmb [£470-570] a day. We didn't see any of the money. The computers were never turned off."

It is known as "gold farming", the practice of building up credits and online value through the monotonous repetition of basic tasks in online games such as World of Warcraft. The trade in virtual assets is very real, and outside the control of the games' makers. Millions of gamers around the world are prepared to pay real money for such online credits, which they can use to progress in the online games.

"Many prisons across the north-east of China also forced inmates to play games. It must still be happening," he said. ... The emergence of gold farming as a business in China – whether in prisons or sweatshops could raise new questions over the exporting of goods real or virtual from the country.

www.guardian.co.uk...

Hey guy

this has been going on for years
Not just China ...and Not just Prisoners.
its an actual job in some country's
Wiki Gold Farmers

I'd be more concerned with the use
of Executed Chinese prisoners human remains
being used in exported cosmetics

reply to post by MIDNIGHTSUN


I hate to say it but...

Outside of being a "Prisoner", Online Gaming vs turning big rocks into little rocks all day doesn't seem to me that bad of a deal. However what this shows me is that too many people are living way too much in Virtual reality and not spending enough of their time in Total reality and because of that they have created this demand in the first place.

Also, this demonstrates just how much technology has crept into our world. Imagine that...

A prisoner is worth more allowing him to play online games than they would be by having them do actual physical labor in the REAL real world. Farming, construction, public works projects and or other socially needed activities that would better the real world.

Whats next?

Porn credits?

I can just hear the footsteps rushing to the door for that one....

erm, playing WoW in prision is cruel you say?

sounds #ing great to me!