14 Everyday Online Activities That Are Actually Illegal

Copyright Infringement and Piracy

• 🎬 Torrenting copyrighted movies is illegal, and downloading them can be interpreted as intent to distribute, leading to fines or lawsuits.
• 🖼️ Using copyrighted images without permission, even for memes, can result in DMCA takedowns, especially if not considered transformative fair use.
• 📺 Bypassing paywalls for copyrighted material is forbidden under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and constitutes copyright infringement.
• 🔗 Sharing streaming service passwords is considered copyright infringement in some regions, like the UK, and can lead to account termination or legal trouble.
• 💻 Downloading YouTube videos without creator permission, often using third-party services, violates YouTube's terms of service and can lead to copyright infringement claims under the DMCA.

Threats, Harassment, and Privacy Violations

• 🗣️ Making threats of violence or harm online, even as a joke, is a federal offense under US law (Title 18, Section 875) and can result in fines or imprisonment.
• 🎙️ Recording people's voices without consent is illegal in 13 US states with two-party consent laws, including calls via social media.
• 📸 Uploading photos or videos of people without consent is illegal in private residences, where there's an expectation of privacy, and especially severe for revenge porn.

Financial and Data-Related Crimes

• 💰 Online merchant tax evasion occurs when income from selling goods on platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace is not declared to the IRS.
• 🧒 Collecting information about individuals younger than 13 without written parental permission violates the Children's Online Protection Act (COPPA).
• 🕵️ Searching for certain illicit or illegal terms online can flag users to law enforcement, especially if search engines collaborate with authorities.
• 🛒 Purchasing illicit services on the deep web (e.g., drugs, weapons, identity theft) carries severe risks, including scams and undercover federal agents.

Identity and Network Misuse

• 🎭 Using a fake name or impersonating someone online can violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, especially if it leads to fraud or damages reputation.
• 📶 Using other people's Wi-Fi without permission (piggybacking) is illegal under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and degrades the network owner's experience.