It’s true that you could be accused of a crime that you don’t even know you committed. Some harmless behaviors are actually illegal, despite the fact that many people perform these actions all the time. Here are a few examples of “innocent” crimes you could be accused of that you may have to defend yourself against.
Is borrowing a Wi-Fi connection really stealing?
First, if you’ve ever borrowed someone else’s internet connection, you actually may have been stealing. If you access someone’s private Wi-Fi network, you actually violated federal law. It’s very unlikely that you could be charged for accidentally accessing a Wi-Fi network, since phones and computers automatically search for unsecured networks to hook up to. However, if you perform another illegal act, like searching for child pornography or buying drugs while on this network, the owner, as well as the police, may be looking for the person who was using the connection and come after you for the crime.
Is online gambling always illegal?
Another thing that’s illegal online is online gambling. Unless you live in a specified State like Delaware, New Jersey or Nevada, gambling online could be illegal. Paying to play games online is not illegal, but be wary of those that are actually card games or slots.
Is sharing photos illegal online?
Posting copyrighted information or photos online is another way to get in trouble with the law. While sharing cute photos online might not seem like it’s illegal, taking an artist’s or a photographer’s work and spreading it around the internet without attribution or permission is against the law.
Source: Men’s Health, “6 Crimes You Don’t Know You’re Committing,” Markham Heid, accessed Oct. 13, 2016