Wednesday, March 27, 2024


Surprising Ways You May Be Breaking The Law.

April 30, 2019 by  
Filed under Money/Business, Tech/Internet, Weekly Columns

(Akiit.com) The majority of us are law-abiding citizens, so breaking the law might be the last thing we would consider doing.

You probably wouldn’t set out to rob a bank, drive while under the influence, speed across the state line, or steal anything from the local store. Being a good citizen, we are sure you respect legalities and avoid anything that could bring you to into contact with the police.

However, surprisingly, you may be breaking the law without even knowing it. Consider the following, and be warned. Despite your high morals and worthy credentials, you might find yourself in need of a law firm if you are guilty of any of the following.

#1: Using somebody else’s wifi

If your wifi is down at home, you might consider using somebody else’s wifi if they have an open connection. It might be your next door neighbor, or it could be the café across the road. You might even log into their wifi accidentally if your computer is set to find the nearest network. However, according to this article, you could be found guilty under the ‘computer fraud and abuse act’ if you ‘piggyback’ somebody else’s wifi connection. We say ‘could be,’ as it’s unlikely you will be fined and dealt a prison sentence unless you are purposefully trying to hack into somebody’s computer system. However, it’s still worth being aware of wifi connection laws, because even when you tell the judge you were only looking at cat videos online, you might still face a penalty as a consequence!

#2: Sharing your Netflix password

The next time your friend asks for your Netflix password so he can catch up on the latest box sets and movies online, you might want to think twice before handing it over. Again, thanks to that blasted ‘computer fraud and abuse act,’ it is now a prosecutable crime to share your password with another. The law isn’t only directed at ‘Netflix offenders,’ as it also accounts for any subscription-based service. Our advice: tell your friends to open their own Netflix accounts; otherwise you might face fines that cripple your finances and prevent you from catching up on your watchlist for a long time to come.

#3: Walking around with a permanent marker in your pocket

“Is that a gun in your pocket?” the police holler at you. “No, it’s only a permanent marker,” you tell them, showing them the evidence and hoping to alleviate the situation. Bad news if you are living in states such as New York and Florida, as under anti-graffiti laws, you are forbidden to carry one around with you. Well, you are you if are under the age of 18. The same applies to aerosol cans and anything else that could be used to create graffiti, so if you’re an underage ‘pen holder,’ you might want to think twice before wandering around with one.

Finally

There are all kinds of crazy laws that exist today, and while they are often imposed for a good reason, you don’t want to fall foul of any for breaking them unwittingly. So, heed the laws we have raised today, and then research other laws in your state to ensure you don’t do anything that could land you in trouble.

Thanks for reading!

Staff Writer; Fred Jackson


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