Laws That Are Easily Broken: Everyday Criminals

Laws are rules that govern our behaviour and ensure we live in a peaceful society. However, it is surprisingly easy to break some of them. From jaywalking to speeding, many people inadvertently or deliberately break the law every day. Some laws are more obscure than others, and it is easy to fall foul of them without even realising. For example, did you know that singing 'Happy Birthday' in public could constitute copyright infringement? Or that sharing your Netflix password is illegal? With so many laws to abide by, it is no wonder that people sometimes unknowingly commit infractions.

Using unsecured Wi-Fi

"Piggybacking" or "mooching" are terms used to describe the act of using someone's unsecured Wi-Fi without their permission. While it may seem harmless, piggybacking is against the law in several US states and under federal statutes. For example, in the state of New York, it is considered a Class A misdemeanour. In Florida, a defendant was charged with criminal piggybacking.

The consequences of piggybacking can be severe, with people being arrested and charged for using an unsecured Wi-Fi connection without permission. While the laws are still being clarified, piggybacking might result in criminal penalties such as fines or even jail time.

Public Wi-Fi hotspots are often unsecured, and while convenient, they pose security risks. Without proper precautions, hackers can take advantage of public Wi-Fi's lax security to spy on users, steal personal information and passwords, or even take over their online accounts. Various methods, such as "evil twin" attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, and password-cracking attacks, are used by cybercriminals to compromise unsecured networks and steal sensitive data.

To stay safe, it is recommended to use a virtual private network (VPN) when connecting to any Wi-Fi network, public or private. Additionally, users should clear their browsing history and cache, enable two-factor or multi-factor authentication, and avoid connecting to unknown or untrusted networks.

Singing copyrighted songs in public

For instance, in the 1990s, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) asked the Girl Scouts to pay royalties for teaching campers the Macarena. However, humming a copyrighted song to yourself or singing along with your car radio or in the shower is not likely to be considered a public performance and therefore not illegal.

If you are a musician, it is important to understand copyright law and the protections available to you. Copyright protection exists from the moment an original work is "fixed" in a tangible medium, such as when a song is recorded in an audio file or when a musical work is notated in sheet music or a digital file. As the owner of your music, copyright gives you the right to make and sell copies, distribute those copies, create new works based on the original, and, with some limitations, publicly perform or display the work.

If you plan to use someone else's copyrighted work, such as recording a cover song, it is essential to compare your intended uses with the rights of the copyright holder and ensure you are lawfully engaging in each use. This may involve getting permission from the copyright holder directly or licensing the work according to the terms set by the licensing contract.

Playing poker for money at home

In general, home poker games are considered legal if the host does not take a rake and no one profits from the game beyond their own winnings. However, some states may deem poker as gambling, which could result in illegal status for home games. For example, Alabama and Florida do not permit home poker games and consider them illegal, while states like Illinois allow home poker games as long as certain conditions are met.

To ensure compliance with the law, it is crucial to understand the specific gambling laws and regulations within your state or province. These laws can vary greatly, and ignorance of the law is not a valid excuse. For instance, in the United States, some states prohibit even friendly games of poker in private homes if money is involved, while others only allow gambling authorized by the state.

When organizing a home poker game, it is important to consider the following factors:

• Private Location: The game should be held in a private location, such as a house or a private club, and not in public spaces or commercial establishments.
• Bona Fide Social Relationship: The players should share a genuine social relationship and be friends or family members. The game should not be organized solely for gambling purposes.
• No House Profit: The host should not make any profit from the game through a rake or any form of commission or fees.
• Limits on Bets: Some states may impose restrictions on the amount of money that can be wagered during the game.
• No Advertising: Advertising a home poker game may be illegal and can expose individuals to multiple charges if arrested.

In conclusion, playing poker at home can be a fun social activity, but it is important to understand and comply with the legal regulations in your state to avoid any potential legal consequences. The laws regarding gambling and playing cards for money at home vary widely, and it is the responsibility of the organizer and participants to ensure they are acting within the boundaries of the law.

Jaywalking

In the US, jaywalking is associated with crossing the street illegally, and the laws governing it vary from state to state. In California, for example, jaywalking was recently decriminalised with the Freedom to Walk Act, which allows pedestrians to make \"safe mid-block crossings\" unless there is an immediate danger of collision. In other states, such as New York, jaywalking laws are rarely enforced due to practicality concerns. However, in some places like Singapore, jaywalking is taken more seriously, with fines for first-time offenders and even the possibility of jail time for repeat offenders.

People jaywalk for various reasons, including convenience, the expectation of the right to free movement, and sometimes personal safety. Going to a designated crosswalk can often require a long detour, and in congested areas, crosswalks may be blocked by cars or other obstacles. In rural and suburban areas, jaywalking may be a result of a lack of sidewalks or other designated pedestrian pathways. Additionally, some individuals may be unwilling to wait at signals, especially if there is little to no conflicting traffic nearby.

While jaywalking may seem like a minor infraction, it can have serious safety implications. In the US, nearly 60% of pedestrian deaths occur outside of crosswalks, highlighting the dangers of jaywalking. However, it's worth noting that other factors, such as failure of drivers to yield and poor sidewalk conditions, also contribute to pedestrian injuries and fatalities.

Speeding

While it is very common, speeding is not legal, safe, or justifiable. Speed limits are based on how safe it is to drive in a given area and for a given type of road. Speeding can cause crashes and puts other people's lives at risk. It is also not acceptable to speed to match the flow of traffic, as speed limits are not selected arbitrarily.

However, there are some legally sanctioned reasons for exceeding the speed limit. These include:

• If the actions of the police force you to speed
• If you are keeping yourself or your passengers safe
• If you are being coerced
• If there is some dire reason to speed
• If you have been trapped

For example, if the police are driving recklessly and you speed to get out of their way, this is a valid excuse. Additionally, if you are overtaking another vehicle, some states allow some flexibility when it comes to speeding. However, states like Georgia and Alabama have "absolute" speeding laws, which means it is never acceptable to exceed the speed limit, even when passing another vehicle.

While there may be valid reasons for speeding, it is important to remember that speeding is still dangerous and puts lives at risk. If you are worried about the speed of vehicles around you, it is best to move to the rightmost lane to allow faster drivers to pass without exceeding the speed limit yourself.

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