Chinese Prisoners Forced To Farm Gold?

from the forced-virtual-labor dept

Tue, May 31st 2011 5:43am — Mike Masnick

There have been many, many reports over the years about just how much "gold farming" in online games comes from China, but a new report in the Guardian is getting plenty of attention for claiming that real world inmates are being used for gold farming in prisons, where the prisons or their bosses end up with the "spoils." A whole bunch of folks have been submitting the story, and it certainly could be happening, but it does seem pretty weakly sourced. It quotes one guy who was in prison half a decade ago and did the gold farming then. Is there any more contemporary evidence that this is happening?

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Filed Under: china, gold farming, prisons, wow

10 Comments

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The eejit (profile), 31 May 2011 @ 5:14am

"I hereby sentence you to farming fourteen million Gold in World of Warcraft for being a dissident. You may not leave the house and you may not use any guides on goldfarming. This court is adjourned."
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Anonymous Coward, 31 May 2011 @ 6:04am

what I dont really understand
what I don't really understand is why anyone is surprised by this, and why its a big deal.

I thought it was pretty well known that chinese jails were corrupt labor houses. The jails even have deals with local authorities to keep them at optimal occupancy for the greater profit of both entities.

the fact that one tiny aspect of the corruption is wow gold farming seems completely minute.
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Deirdre (profile), 31 May 2011 @ 6:20am

It's probably about as useful as having prisoners doing cold call telemarketing.
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- ComputerAddict (profile), 31 May 2011 @ 6:26am
  
  Re:
  Agreed, It is easily as useful as having them sit in lockdown 23 hours a day, getting 3 free meals, free clothing, free cable TV, etc.
  
  At least this way there is some dis-incentive for gang members to goto jail... you break the law, your gonna be doing hard labor in what I would assume to be horrid conditions.
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- Anonymous Coward, 31 May 2011 @ 6:33am
  
  Re:
  Probably better; can't imagine prisoners have a welcoming manner on the phone.
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  - Old Fool (profile), 31 May 2011 @ 6:45am
    
    Re: Re:
    I bet prisoners who have defrauded millions from their clients have a very good telephone manner.
    
    In fact I cant think of anyone with better qualifications for cold calling.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 31 May 2011 @ 7:19am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Hello my name is burney madoff. Would you be willing to donate to you local firefighter fund?
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Di Fiasco, 31 May 2011 @ 6:42am

Watch out! That warlock just got cornered in the shower by three trolls and an dark elf with a big nose!
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- The eejit (profile), 31 May 2011 @ 7:27am
  
  Re:
  Clearly a l2p issue, That Lock should have the others Fearlocked.
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kjgfkjfi, 31 May 2011 @ 9:22am

Gold Farmers camp the best MOBs
Gold Farmers undermine a games player economy
Gold Farmers provide an "easy" way to do well in an MMO
Gold Farmers Suck

But actually ...
The people that buy gold from gold Farmers Suck Worse.

~kjgfkjfi
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