Journal 14 – Illegal online activities

We may be doing some things online that we don’t know are illegal. The top 5 that I find to be the most serious violations are as follows. First is Bullying and Trolling; bullying online can have serious consequences on its victims. Cyberbullying has led to distress in the victims, as well as some victims in extreme cases attempting or committing suicide. The second is collecting information on people under the age of 13. The Children’s Online Protection Act requires verifiable consent before collecting information on anyone under 13. Third, Sharing passwords, addresses, and photos of others without their consent. Sharing personal information in public forums can lead to multiple consequences if the data is misused. Fourth, Using Torrent services and downloading any copy written material without the explicit consent of its owner can lead to large fines and jail time. Fifth, faking your identity online, faking your identity using someone else likeness online is illegal and Identity fraud.