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10 types of legal rights everyone should know

Posted by / September 7, 2014

If we could all master the law of the land, there would be no need for lawyers, and while some may say that day can’t come fast enough, the truth of the matter is that, until then, we just have to make do.

One thing we can immediately achieve is knowing when we need a lawyer, and that’s where this incredibly helpful list from Lifehacker’s Melanie Pinola comes in, which covers the areas of the law everyone should know in case those rights we all love so much are violated.

10. When You’re Breaking Copyright Law

Just by doing typical online activities, you’re probably breaking copyright law. If you use a copyrighted song in a home video uploaded to YouTube, for example, or create a gif (or other derivative work) to start a meme, you’re infringing on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. However, some copyright infringements are more tolerated than others—and copyright law is complex—so a quick test if you still want to share online without legal recourse might be to ask yourself if what you’re doing “feels wrong” to you.

9. What You Can and Can’t Do While Driving

You know you shouldn’t use your cell phone while driving, but states have different bans, on the kinds of cell phone use that are illegal while driving: Most ban texting while driving, but some don’t allow any use of your phone when you’re at the wheel. Know what’s allowed in your state and the penalties for texting while driving (but, seriously, just don’t do it). In a similar vein, is it illegal to wear headphones when you’re driving? In some states, it is. Many states have strange driving laws, like traffic violations if you leave your car door open “longer than is deemed necessary.”

Full story at Lifehacker.

Know the law.

Graphics credit: Canva

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