Is it against the law to capture and distribute screenshots of confidential conversations? These are the consequences
As we enter this world of digital relationships and virtual interactions, the laws protecting internet users are becoming more comprehensive and specific. We have reached a point where even if someone shares a screenshot of a private conversation without the other person’s consent, they can still face criminal charges.
Of course, this means a whole bunch of nuances and conditions, all of which will be explored further in the rest of this article. However, it is important to make it clear from the outset how important it is to respect the privacy of the people we interact with online; even messaging apps like WhatsApp know this. That’s why they implement features like the inability to take photos and videos with self-destruction.
Of course, WhatsApp is not the only messaging app available; there are many good WhatsApp alternatives that you can use if you are concerned about privacy. But the truth is that sharing screenshots of private conversations is a practice that can lead to different types of consequences. Let’s explain a little better.
After consulting with two lawyers, it was determined that sharing a screenshot of a conversation is not exactly a crime; it is the circumstances and information contained in those screenshots that determine whether a crime is committed or not. Since there will be cases where it is acceptable to share a conversation capture or screenshot, as some say.
For example, if you share a screenshot of a conversation with the same person who had that conversation, there's no problem. If you share a screenshot of any part of a conversation in a group chat with someone in that group, there shouldn't be a problem either.
The problems start if you share a screenshot of a conversation with someone else without the consent of the person you were talking to. You may be committing the crime of discovering and revealing secrets. The crime can be more serious if there is personal information in that screenshot that violates the other person's privacy without consent.
Of course, it is not the same to send a screenshot of a private conversation to one or two people instead of directly posting it publicly on some media, such as social networks, for example. Although sending an image via private messages can reach a fairly high degree of spread, sharing these private screenshots publicly is much more serious, and therefore the penalty is greater.
It is important to note that the most advertised or shared private chat snaps are those of a sexual nature. So our main advice in this regard is that if you are planning to share photos or text messages of this type, do it safely and only with people you trust.
Remember that no messaging app is completely secure; even apps known for their security like Telegram have proven that they are not so private after all. That was all for now with our article on whether it is illegal to share screenshots of private chats and what are the consequences of doing so. We hope you have benefited and got a general idea about this topic.