Ignorance of the law & online activity
It is worth remembering that for most if not all aspects of English law, ignorance of the law is not a defence. When it comes to online activity, there seems to be a combination of factors in that the public think that the internet is perhaps unpoliceable, that there is safety in numbers and perhaps other factors.
A study of 2,000 Brits made the following findings :-
- 41% only are confident that what they do online is lawful
- Only 17% of 16 to 24 year olds were similarly confident
- Only 30% of web users confirmed that they understand what copyright means and that it is not legally permissible to copy material like photos, music or videos
- Over 60% state that they are unaware it is a serious unlawful and possible illegal activity to break the terms of an injunction order and a similar number think that you can say what you like about others on the web.
We find the above figures really surprising – is there perhaps a degree of denial going on here ? Just a hunch but our own view is that whilst it is probable that a percentage of younger people are really pretty ignorant of the law, what is more likely a driving force is a general perception that the internet is too big and too fast moving to result in consequences and that there is safety in numbers.
Both of these assumptions are wrong. When it comes to unlawful downloading of music, some big companies are deliberately flexing their muscles in showing they will go after numerous people for breaches and the types of consequences that can arise is well evidenced by the prison sentences handed down for individuals who incited the London riots online.
What do you think about this issue ?
