6 Laws You've Broken Without Even Realizing It
None of us can claim with a straight face that we've never done anything illegal, be it speeding, drunkenly stealing a shrink-wrapped pickle from a bowling alley or hunting the homeless for sport. But on the whole, we're upstanding citizens. After all, it's not like we're out there breaking the law on a daily basis.
Wanna bet? Because all of the stuff below is illegal in most of, if not all of, the United States. If you live outside the U.S., you need to double check to see if you can get jail time for ...
6. Connecting to Unsecure Wi-fi Network
Due to the current popularity of tiny computers, Wi-Fi hotspot usage is on the rise. Unfortunately, with that comes the problem of people, knowingly or not, connecting to unsecure wireless networks without permission. It's not like hacking the Pentagon here -- if you're in public, your computer will automatically look for a signal and, if there's no security (such as a password) to get online, you can connect to it in seconds. Say you're on a park bench a block away from Starbucks, but their signal just reaches you. So, you log in and check your email.
What Did I Do?!
Say hello to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which makes it a crime to gain "unauthorized access" to a computer or a website. What does "unauthorized access" actually mean? Nobody knows. But the law says it applies to wireless routers. Luckily, law enforcement has lately become more lenient in enforcing "Wi-Fi squatting" in relation to the CFAA. So they probably won't bust you for the federal crime of stealing wireless Internet (even though they totally could, if they some day feel like it).
5. Singing “Happy Birthday to You” in Public
If you ever had a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's, you probably have endless fond memories: the cardboard pizza, half-broken arcade games and soda served in the tiniest paper thimbles ever created. OK, maybe it’s kind of not good in retrospect. But it could have been worse. For example, your parents could get a subpoena to appear in court for being part of a public performance of "Happy Birthday to You," which as it turns out is totally illegal.
What Did I Do?!
It's copyrighted. Usually that would only affect people who are singing it while attempting to make a profit. You can still sing it legally in the privacy of your own home, and you will probably get away with singing it out in the open, provided that you're not on a reality TV show.
4. Using Fake Names on the Internet
Here's an easy one. Everyone uses fake names online, be it on Facebook or Xbox Live. And really, why should you give out your real identity to some random site when typing "Michael J. Smith" in the name field is both faster and more secure?
What Did I Do?!
Oh, hey, look at that. It's the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act again, with its vague wording that you've probably violated over and over again in the last 24 hours. Due to the that line that makes any "unauthorized access" illegal, it can be anything from illegally accessing the White House's website and exploding the president's toilet (computers can do that, right?) to using a false name during an online registration process. After all, in both cases you're gaining access to a computer in a way that its owner didn't authorize, which constitutes "hacking" and is, according to the letter of the law, punishable with five to 20 years in prison.
3. Betting with Friends
So, you're drinking away at the local bar, when you notice the game playing on the TV. Turning to your buddy, you bet him that the defending team will definitely make the next basket. They don't. You bet again and again, upping the ante each time. At the end of the night, you've bet and lost more than $2,000. Angry at yourself, you get up to leave, when suddenly a SWAT team storms the place, pushes you to the ground and cuffs you.
What Did I Do?!
You see, all those bets you made violated the Illegal Gambling Act of 1970. According to the IGA, any betting that goes against state or local law, involves five or more people and has a revenue of at least $2,000 in one day constitutes an illegal gambling operation, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
2. Writing “Disturbing” Materials
Are you an aspiring writer age 16 to 24? If so, how is your zombie story coming along? Seriously, even if you're not really into stuff like that, there must be some piece of "dark" writing you left behind somewhere, like a blog or a LiveJournal or a Facebook posting about some weird vampire Nazi dream you had or some moody lyrics you wrote back when you had a beard and a single pair of jeans.
Well, you better hope that no one finds what you've written "disturbing," because your goth phase might be breaking the law.
What Did I Do?!
Some state laws actually make it illegal to write about things that can freak other people out. Illinois, for example, has regulations against "disorderly conduct," which usually means stuff like prank calling 911, but can also apply to writing "disturbing fiction."
No, it doesn't even matter whether you make it public or not. If someone reads something you wrote and finds it reprehensibly soul-poisoning, you may face 30 days of jail time and a $1,500 fine.
1. Owning a Permanent Marker
Let's say you're relaxing in the park one day when the cops come up and ask to talk to you. Apparently there was a string of muggings in the area and they'd like to search your bag. You agree because you've done no wrong and have nothing to hide, but also because they're cops and they have guns. Inside your bag, they find all the usual stuff: textbooks, pens, permanent markers, and notebooks. You know, nothing illegal. Pleased with your law-abidingness, you reach to get your bag back when suddenly the cops grab you by the arm and haul you off to jail.
What Did I Do?!
Actually, it was about the permanent markers. According to basically every anti-graffiti state law out there, it is illegal simply to possess "broad-tipped indelible markers" or "aerosol cans" in a public place, because they can be used to commit acts of vandalism. You can find such regulations all over the United States, from Florida to New York to California, which also make it a crime to buy permanent markers for anyone under 18.
Article Source: http://www.cracked.com/article_19450_6-laws-youve-broken-without-even-realizing-it.html
Image Source: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR1jBpD9EmkXPkJFtDx6LOCiumblPir6w7XOKYcjnhzjx1ACd2xPg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Straight face (idiom) ~ a serious facial expression, especially one that conceals any kind of emotion
2. Upstanding (adj.) ~ morally upright
3. Lenient (adj.) ~ inclined not to be harsh or strict
4. Bust (v./ informal) ~ to place under arrest
5. Fond (adj.) ~ having a strong liking
6. Subpoena (n.) ~ an order issued under the authority of a court
7. Copyrighted (adj.) ~ protected by copyright
8. Fraud (n.) ~ deliberate deception intended to gain an advantage
9. Constitute (v.) ~ to amount or equal to
10. Bet (n.) ~ an amount or object risked in a wager
11. Come along (phrasal verb) ~ to make advances to a goal
12. Haul off (phrasal verb/ informal) ~ to move to another place
13. Graffiti (n) ~ drawings or inscriptions made on a wall or other surface, usually as to be seen in public
14. Vandalism (n.) ~ deliberate destruction or damage of private or public property
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSIONS:
1. Do you think the laws on the list are important or just nuisance? Why?
2. Do you think that laws with regards to internet and internet security should be implemented more strictly? Discuss your answer.
3. Is any of these laws implemented in South Korea?
4. What kinds of laws do you think are easy to ignore? Why?
