So Apparently Lots Of Us Could Be Breaking The Law On Snapchat Without Even Realising It

Snapchat. We’re addicted. There isn’t a day, or, er, hour that goes by where we aren’t exchanging cringey snaps with our mates.

But there’s one seemingly harmless thing many Snapchat users have been doing that could get you in trouble with the law, and that’s taking screenshots of your friends’ pics.

According to Ed Vaizey, culure minister in the UK, “Under UK copyright law, it would be unlawful for a Snapchat user to copy an image and make it available to the public without the consent of the image owner. The image owner would be able to sue anyone who does this for copyright infringement.

“The disclosure of private sexual photographs or films without the consent of an individual who appears in them and with intent to cause that individual distress is an offence under Section 33 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015,” he continues. “Those convicted could face a maximum sentence of two years in prison.”

While there are some slight differences in Irish copyright law, copyright infringement typically carries the same consequences here as it does in the UK, so y’know, think twice before you screenshot that snap.

You have been warned.

Psst! Love Snapchat as much as we do? Here are top Irish Snapchatters to follow right now. You can follow us too at @stellarmagazine. 

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