7 Lesser Known Laws You Might Be Breaking Without Even Knowing

We all have broken laws at some point in our lives. Running a red light, driving without helmet, driving on a footpath, downloading torrents etc. are some of the laws that people can be seen breaking on a day to day basis. However, there are some laws that you might have broken but had no idea of. Let’s have a look at some of the laws that you might have broken without knowing:

1. Singing ‘Happy Birthday to you’ in Public

This one is by far the silliest on the list of things that can get you in trouble. The most recognized song in the English language as per the Guinness world record is copyright protected. The copyrights to this song are owned by Warner music company, which means that you are not supposed to sing or play this song while celebrating your birthday in public places without paying a royalty to the owners. Which is technically against the law as per the copyright act. However, you can do the same in private spaces.

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2. Digital piracy

We all know downloading torrents is against the law, but did you know that even uploading or downloading any material, i.e. text, audio or video without the prior consent of owner is also technically, a crime under the copyright law and IT act 2000. So be careful while sharing or uploading a famous song or video on a social platform, the owner might sue you.

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3. Having a fake ID on the net

Did you ever create a fake account on a social network to stalk your ex or just for fun? Did you ever use a fake email account? If yes then you technically broke a law. According to section 66D of Information Technology Act 2000, having a false identity or creating false accounts is an act of fraudulently impersonating an individual and can land you in jail.

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4. Playing loud music while driving

If you like to take a late night drive with latest Honey Singh track blaring through your speakers, beware. According to the noise control act, if you’re caught driving with loud music playing in your car, you may be fined for it. It’s just better to roll up your windows and enjoy the music at a reasonable volume.

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5. Betting with friends

I bet(pun intended) you would have never thought that a seemingly harmless bet with a friend could land you in trouble. According to the law, betting for money is seen as gambling and is technically against the law. Though gambling is a state subject and the laws might differ from state to state. But since it’s banned in a majority of the states and heavily restricted in the rest, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

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6. Watching porn might not be a crime but sharing it is

Though SC might not have banned watching porn as it is a violation of Right to personal liberty, sharing porn is still a crime. That’s right, under the IT act_2000, “if a person publishes or transmits images containing a sexually explicit act or conduct”, it may lead to imprisonment up to 7 years or/and Monetary fine. So think hard before forwarding racy WhatsApp videos, it may land you into trouble.

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7. Smoking in public

That’s right, you can’t just light up wherever and whenever you want. Even having a smoke near a chai ‘tapri’ is against the law. The Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules, 2008 prohibits individuals from smoking in public places which include malls, cinema halls, hotels, restaurants, parks, and even public transport unless they have exclusive smoking zones as per the guidelines.

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While some of them may seem crazy, but it’s our duty to follow laws and not break them. So next time you some across any such situation, think long & hard before taking your next step.