More than half of Facebook and Twitter users could be routinely risking prosecution according to research exposing mass ignorance of basic legal dangers among internet enthusiasts.
Legal experts warned of an alarmingly poor grasp of the law in areas such as libel, invasion of privacy, copyright, music piracy and even incitement to violence among regular users of popular social networking sites.
Lawyers said that large numbers of people are risking fines and even prison sentences ââ¬â often unwittingly ââ¬â for actions as simple as posting a short message or video online.
It follows a study which showed that only around 44 per cent of regular internet users were able to identify a series of legal pitfalls faced by those who regularly post on blogs and social networks or use sites such as YouTube and eBay.
It found that, even in the wake of the summer riots, as many as a third of people who regularly use services such as Facebook, Twitter or BlackBerry Messenger appeared not to realise that posting a message openly organising a looting spree is illegal.
Meanwhile it showed that two thirds would consider posting a message on Twitter openly flouting a court ââ¬Åsuperinjunctionââ¬Â.
And as many as seven out of 10 had little awareness of what constitutes a libellous message.
Other stark findings of the study, set up by Nominet, the group which runs Britainââ¬â¢s web infrastructure, included that:
Half of users were unable to see danger in hacking into other peopleââ¬â¢s Facebook accounts to make postings or read their private messages.
Full article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...s-of-the-Facebook-and-Twitter-generation.html
Legal experts warned of an alarmingly poor grasp of the law in areas such as libel, invasion of privacy, copyright, music piracy and even incitement to violence among regular users of popular social networking sites.
Lawyers said that large numbers of people are risking fines and even prison sentences ââ¬â often unwittingly ââ¬â for actions as simple as posting a short message or video online.
It follows a study which showed that only around 44 per cent of regular internet users were able to identify a series of legal pitfalls faced by those who regularly post on blogs and social networks or use sites such as YouTube and eBay.
It found that, even in the wake of the summer riots, as many as a third of people who regularly use services such as Facebook, Twitter or BlackBerry Messenger appeared not to realise that posting a message openly organising a looting spree is illegal.
Meanwhile it showed that two thirds would consider posting a message on Twitter openly flouting a court ââ¬Åsuperinjunctionââ¬Â.
And as many as seven out of 10 had little awareness of what constitutes a libellous message.
Other stark findings of the study, set up by Nominet, the group which runs Britainââ¬â¢s web infrastructure, included that:
Half of users were unable to see danger in hacking into other peopleââ¬â¢s Facebook accounts to make postings or read their private messages.
Full article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...s-of-the-Facebook-and-Twitter-generation.html
