虛擬社交平台使用者之虛擬頭像實施性騷擾行為是否犯罪？

Is Engaging in Sexual Harassment via Virtual Avatars on Social Media Platforms Considered a Criminal Offense?

隨著元宇宙概念之興起使用虛擬社交平台的人越來越多，而在虛擬世界中虛擬頭像對其他使用者之虛擬頭像實施性騷擾行為之情形也日益增加。虛擬性騷擾行為雖然僅發生在電腦螢幕上，但仍會導致被騷擾者焦慮、悲傷與心理傷害和真實世界中性騷擾行為造成的影響並無不同。在許多科技公司競相挹注資金發展虛擬實境技術後，可預見在虛擬社交平台之性騷擾行為將日益嚴重，因此有必要探討虛擬性騷擾行為以法律規範之必要性及適用我國法律之情形。本文概要說明前述議題，以供參考。

With the emergence of the Metaverse, an increasing number of individuals are participating in virtual social platforms. Within this virtual realm, there has been a noticeable rise in instances of virtual avatars engaging in sexual harassment towards other users’ avatars. Despite the fact that virtual sexual harassment occurs solely within the confines of computer screens, it can still elicit emotions such as anxiety, sadness, and psychological harm, akin to real-world sexual harassment. As technology companies continue to invest in the advancement of virtual reality technology, it is anticipated that instances of sexual harassment on virtual social platforms will become more prevalent. Consequently, it is imperative to examine the necessity for legal regulation of virtual sexual harassment and its pertinence within our society. This article aims to provide a succinct overview of the aforementioned concerns for further contemplation.