Criminal Liability for Online Child Sexual Grooming in Electronic Games: A Comparative Study between Saudi Law and U.S. Law

Abstract

The quick growth of the electronic gaming environments has opened new doors for child sexual grooming as a cyber enabled crime that involves psychological manipulation, anonymity and cross-platform interaction. Even with rising awareness around the world, current criminal law does not adequately reflect and respond to grooming in a highly immersive online game environment. The focus of this study is on the criminal responsibility of online child sexual grooming, addressing the same issue by comparing Saudi legislation with U.S. federal legislation. An interdisciplinary approach of doctrinal and comparative legal research methodology is employed, examining the provisions in the law, judicial interpretation and international regulatory frameworks that apply to cyber-enabled child exploitation. It also analyzes criminal responsibility by the elements of actus reus and mens rea, as well as challenges to evidence in the digital environment. The evidence shows that under U.S. law, there is a more clear and forward-looking framework, criminalizing grooming-related conduct because of laws involving coercion and enticement that also cover inchoate offenses. Saudi law, on the other hand, does not differentiate between "grooming" and other cybercrime and child protection offenses, resulting in a lack of precision in legal qualification. The study addresses the doctrinal gaps in the field of grooming in gaming platforms, introduces a more coherent conceptual framework that would make the platform more responsible, improve the evidence mechanisms, and offer a basis for early intervention in the criminal process in cases of child exploitation through the use of online gaming.