More than half of Twitter and Facebook users risk jail EVERY DAY

More than half of Twitter and Facebook users risk jail EVERY DAY

More than two-thirds would upload copyrighted material to the internet

More than half couldn't identify a defamatory statement

A third were unaware that organizing looting via Facebook or Twitter was illegal

Tweeting and posting messages on Facebook are part of many people’s daily routine – but more than half of users risk possibly lengthy jail sentences by not understanding how the law affects them when they’re online.

A study by online advice site knowthenet.org.uk found that a worrying number of young people had no idea that while they’re online, they could be breaking copyright and privacy laws, making defamatory remarks or even inciting riots.

The survey comes after two people were jailed for four years each for attempting to incite a riot on Facebook this summer.

Stark reminder: Composite Image of Jordan Blackshaw, 20, (left) and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22, were both sentenced to four years behind bars for trying to incite a riot via a Facebook message

Jordan Blackshaw and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, from Cheshire, received the hefty terms despite the riot not taking place.

It’s was a stark warning, yet a third of people did not realize that posting a message to organize vandalism and looting was illegal.

When discussing the incitement of violence during the London riots, one participant said: ‘My friend was on Twitter and made some joke about looting. Loads of people attacked him online and then the police found him and they shut down his BBM [Blackberry messenger] and Twitter - but he was just joking, he didn’t know how serious it would be!’

The survey, which questioned 2,000 young people aged 14 to 21, also found that 67 per cent would be happy to upload content to the internet, such as photos and song lyrics that was in fact protected by copyright laws.

After learning that in many cases it’s illegal to upload a video of a concert onto YouTube, another participant said: ‘I always film concerts and put it on YouTube, but I never even thought it could be a problem!’

Risk: Advice site knowthenet.org.uk found that many social network users didn't know they were routinely breaking the law

Earlier this year, meanwhile, there was a storm on Twitter when messages appeared that flouted a ‘super injunction’ footballer Ryan Gigs had taken out preventing his identification over an affair he had with Imogen Thomas.

Still, almost two-thirds said they would discuss or publish details of a super injunction.

Defamation was also identified as a risk area with only 42 per cent able to correctly identify a defamatory statement.

Phil Kingsland, site director at knowthenet.org.uk, said: ‘The results of the study show a worrying lack of understanding of how the law applies online, particularly amongst younger age groups.

‘In the past year we’ve seen many cases of people being convicted for offences committed online and, whilst there are those who set out to deliberately break the law and get punished, , there are many others who could find themselves in trouble without realizing they were doing anything wrong.’

Jonathan Armstrong, legal expert for the site, added: 'There seems to be a sense that different rules apply when, in fact, most laws apply on the internet and there are also a range of new laws that specifically address online activities. 

'When you combine that with the fact that virtually all online activity leaves an electronic footprint for prosecutors to follow, you end up with a situation where large swathes of the population are at risk.'