9 Everyday Actions That Could Land You in Jail - Are You Guilty?

We’re a nation of laws—a lot of laws. In fact, the United States has a vast array of laws and regulations that govern every aspect of our lives. While many of these laws are designed to keep us safe and maintain social order, others might seem outdated, unnecessary, or even downright strange.

As a result, it’s not uncommon for everyday people to unknowingly break the law. Whether it’s a forgotten regulation or an obscure rule, many of us have probably committed a crime at some point in our lives without even realizing it.

Here are nine surprisingly illegal things that you’ve almost definitely done:

1. Singing “Happy Birthday to You” at a restaurant: Believe it or not, “Happy Birthday to You” is actually a copyrighted song, which means that singing it at a public venue like a restaurant could be considered copyright infringement.

2. Using a printer to make a copy of a copyrighted image: We’ve all been there - you need a quick copy of an image for a school project or a piece of artwork, and you decide to use your printer at home. However, if the image is copyrighted, you could be breaking the law.

3. Lying on the internet: While it might be tempting to stretch the truth or hide behind a pseudonym on the internet, lying about your identity or certain facts online can be considered a crime in some cases.

4. Using someone else’s Wi-Fi without permission: Wi-Fi can be found almost anywhere these days, and it might be tempting to piggyback off someone else’s network when you need to access the internet on the go. However, doing so without permission from the network owner can be considered trespassing.

5. Downloading music without paying for it: This one might seem obvious, but it’s a surprisingly common practice that can lead to serious consequences.

6. Making a backup copy of a DVD: While it might seem harmless to make a copy of a DVD for personal use, doing so without the copyright owner’s permission can be considered copyright infringement.

7. Using a software after the subscription has ended: Many software applications require subscription-based licenses that need to be renewed periodically. If you neglect to renew the subscription but continue using the software, you could be breaking the law.

8. Recording conversations without consent: In many states, it’s against the law to record a private conversation without the consent of all parties involved. So the next time you decide to leave a hidden recorder during a discussion, you might want to think twice.

9. Having a loud party past a certain time: Finally, having a loud party that goes past a certain time can be considered a noise disturbance and lead to serious consequences, including fines and even arrest.