From Jokes to Crimes: The Transformation of Deviant Behavior on the Internet

The subject of this research is the peculiarities of qualification and criminal law response to trash streams - online broadcasts containing scenes of violence, humiliation, and other forms of aggression carried out for the purpose of profit. The focus is on analyzing the mechanisms of legal assessment of such actions within the framework of current legislation, identifying gaps in law enforcement practice, and discussing possible models of regulatory regulation. Special attention is given to the problem of legal assessment of the behavior of viewers who stimulate violent content through donations, and the determination of the boundaries of acceptable self-expression in the public online environment. The work examines both existing norms of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and initiatives for their supplementation, as well as compares foreign practices, including the experiences of Germany, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and the Republic of Belarus. The formal-legal and comparative-legal methods are used, as well as an analysis of doctrinal sources and law enforcement practices taking into account criminological and sociocultural factors. The novelty of the research lies in the comprehensive criminal law assessment of trash streams as a form of public aggression committed for selfish purposes in the digital environment. It has been established that the current criminal legislation does not take into account the peculiarities of such actions and does not allow for a clear distinction between provocative self-expression and actions that pose a social danger. The necessity of normative specification of key features of the offense is justified: live broadcasting, the presence of elements of violence (physical or staged), and selfish motivation. The author proposes to consider targeted financing of illegal actions by viewers as a potential form of complicity. The significance of integrating fiscal control and identification mechanisms is emphasized, which is confirmed by examples of law enforcement in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Belarus. The conclusion is made regarding the necessity of a comprehensive state policy combining criminal law, organizational, and educational measures.

deviant behavior, trash streaming, pranking, digital violence, criminal qualification, public display of criminal acts, legal regulation, donation, criminal liability, information and telecommunication technologies