Table of contents:
- Share photos and screenshots without permission
- Spy on the couple's account
- Make threats
- Including people in groups without consent
- Use WhatsApp while under 14 years old
There are certain apps that we use so regularly that sometimes we forget that everything we publish on them is being recorded in writing . This can turn against us if we are not careful.
And it is that both Data Protection and Intellectual Property laws are much more present than we think when using WhatsApp. In this article we are going to list five types of behavior that, in case you didn't know, are punishable by law (when reported)
Share photos and screenshots without permission
A classic. Let the first stone be cast by anyone who has not ever shared a screenshot of another person, generally with delicate or compromising information about that person Well, the truth is that this behavior is reportable, in various ways.
On the one hand, if we are sharing private data from a conversation in which we are not taking part, we may incur a crime. If we are part of the conversation or the WhatsApp group and we share the information, and by doing so we are revealing data that threatens the honor of the person, we can also get involved in trouble.
These actions are even more serious if, in addition to sharing it privately with other users, we do so through social networks. In cases of bullying and other types of harassment, they can be grounds for a complaint. Therefore, be careful when making certain jokes, lest they backfire on you.
In the case of photos, the reasoning is very similar. Both stealing and publishing a user's private photos are an act that can lead to serious consequences, by violating the right to privacy (and depending on the content of the photos, the honor) of the other person.
Spy on the couple's account
Other behavior that may appear innocent but is punishable if reported. Entering a partner's or acquaintance's WhatsApp account is illegal if done without consent. Even more serious is if we somehow hack into that person's account to get information or data.
Things can get more serious and worse if we end up using the other person's account without consent, impersonating their identity. This is also a crime typified in article 197 of the Penal Code, called "Hackering".
The Internet is full of apps that promise to spy on WhatsApp of people nearby, which shows that this demand exists. Apart from the fact that most of these applications are usually virus traps, do not get carried away by the anxiety of certain moments, if you do not want to pay dearly for it.
Make threats
This may, a priori, seem the most obvious. However, it is more common than it seems to use abusive language thinking that nothing can happen to us. Insults to a partner, bullying at school or at work... everything counts as a threat if it involves a violation of honor.
We must never forget that the Law does not contemplate the concept of "joke" or "irony". If we say something, we take responsibility for the meaning of those wordsTherefore, if we have a fit of anger, or a very bad temper against someone, it is much more advisable that we pay for it with the pillow, rather than writing messages that we may later regret. Now there is a Delete message mode, but a capture in time can be enough to put us in a bind.
Including people in groups without consent
Probably, of all the points in this article, this is the one that surprises you the most. "Where is the harm in including someone in a WhatsApp group?", you may ask. “She is free to go out whenever she wants”, you will argue.
It is normal that it seems strange to you, since the last resolution in this regard has been taken recently. In it, the Spanish Agency for Data Protection (AEPD), has considered as a serious offense the inclusion in WhatsApp groups without consent, with pen alties of up to 300.000 euros in case of complaint
This decision is not intended both for groups of friends and for groups that may seek a massive outreach, especially of an informative and/or institutional natureThis measure seeks to prevent certain types of message chains, which include hoaxes or harmful information, from spreading rapidly.
According to the AEPD, explicit permission must be requested from the person before proceeding to include them, if you want to avoid infringement. Haters of WhatsApp groups, of which there are many, will be delighted to hear this news.
Use WhatsApp while under 14 years old
We leave for the last point one that is really a warning. Messaging apps, especially WhatsApp, have become an almost mandatory service to maintain a social life, especially among the younger populationThis sector is accessing the mobile sooner and faster, but the law sets limits.
According to WhatsApp's terms and conditions, no user under the age of 13 can open a WhatsApp account. And if you are between the ages of 13 and the age of majority, you must have the approval of a parent or guardian who is responsible for the terms and conditions on your behalf.
These conditions are subject to the law of each country, which in our case is Organic Law 1/1982, of 5 of May, in its article 13 referred to the Civil Protection of the Right to Honor, Personal and Family Privacy and Self-Image. In this Law, it is considered that the minimum age to be able to operate on these networks is 14 years, and always subject to guardianship.
The law is in constant renewal in everything that has to do with the Internet, social networks and applications.For this reason it is very important to be up-to-date with all the changes and news, since certain attitudes or actions that were not punished before, now are.
Now you are more informed about what your rights are, and also in what way you can end up violating those of others Therefore, Although WhatsApp is a purely recreational application, be careful not to get carried away by certain impulses and think twice before acting.
