Social media has changed the way in which we communicate with others all around the world. Young kids, business partners, old friends, and family members utilize several different social media platforms for a plethora of purposes.
Businesses use the power of LinkedIn to spread their professional network. Facebook is used for marketing, chatting, posting random comments and blurbs, and whatever else we can think of next. The amount of information passed from screen to screen daily through the use of social media is explicit. People talk about literally everything on their social media accounts.
In recent years, the line between freedom of speech and illegal activity has been considerably blurred due to the rising popularity of social media. Many people have no idea just what type of behavior constitutes a criminal act on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Take a closer look at a short compilation of a few tips that may resolve a nationwide epidemic of confusion.
Do not be overtly offensive
There is no clear-cut definition of overtly offensive behavior, but use a bit of common sense. For example, a kid in Wales made a crude joke about a girl that had recently been abducted. He ended up spending 12 weeks in jail for his gross lack of empathy for the situation.
Due to the obscure standard for what is legally considered free speech, it is wise to steer clear of any questionable jokes or rantings. Blatant disregard for human life is typically frowned upon in a court of law.
Do not impersonate a bridge troll and creep around
Trolling a person on social media is a behavior that can be prosecuted as a criminal act in a court of law. Save the revenge for a face to face conversation. Though they may just be words, heckling and harassing someone online is a criminal offense.
Just because of a person logs into a different account each time they call someone fat or ugly, does not mean that they are untraceable. Authorities are much more invasive than that. If a problem arises, Facebook will hand over the heckler’s IP address with no hesitation. Do not make the mistake of thinking that no one will care or take action.
Never name a victim of rape
It is the policy of many big-name media outlets never to name a victim of rape. Rape victims have a legal right to privacy for the entirety of their lives. These laws were put in motion to encourage victims to come forward with a secured and assured a sense of anonymity.
Do not joke about scary things
It is never okay to make “jokes” about very scary and serious things. For example, it is not okay to make vulgar jokes about a situation such as September 11th. It is not okay to physically threaten a person or group of individuals. It does not matter whether the person was just angry or joking when they posted such statements. They are still subject to criminal charges.
