Introduction: the article examines the features of the qualification of the crimes of a sexual nature available under chapters 18 and 25 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, committed virtually, that is, through the use of information and communication technology Internet without direct contact between a perpetrator and a specific (or potential) victim. The issues of the allocation of responsibility for virtual crimes based on sexual orientation between the Articles 132 "Sexual Assault" and 135 "Sexual Abuse" of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation were viewed separately. The questions of necessity of additional qualification of the considered actions according to the norms of chapter 25 "Crimes Against Public Health and Public Morality" were investigated. Materials and Methods: logical, system-structural and statistical methods were used. The materials of the study were the norms of criminal legislation of the Russian Federation and foreign countries, the provisions of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, scientific literature. Results: the article describes the characteristics of sexual acts committed virtually. Features of the qualification of the given actions were investigated, criteria of differentiation of norms of the chapters 18 and 25 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in categorizing the actions of virtual crimes based on sexual orientation were defined. Discussion and Conclusions: in order to improve effective and uniform law enforcement practice, criteria for the qualification of virtual actions of sexual orientation have been developed: victims of less than twelve years old; the implementation of these actions with the use of violence against a victim.