What You Need to Know Before Sharing Content Online: Protect Yourself from Legal Trouble

Feeling overwhelmed by news stories about people facing legal action for an innocent repost? Worried every time you want to share something on your social media? It’s time to understand your rights and responsibilities when posting online.

Increasingly, individuals are being held accountable for sharing content that violates laws. If you hesitate before posting a funny meme or comment, knowing what crosses the line can help you avoid penalties and share confidently.

Defamation and Insults

While it might be tempting to publicly criticize someone online, it’s crucial to understand the legal boundaries involved. Insulting someone—meaning humiliating their honor or dignity in an offensive way—can result in fines up to $1,200 USD if directed at individuals or organizations. Insulting public officials or military personnel can lead to harsher penalties, including up to one year of corrective labor.

Importantly, these rules apply not only to public posts but also to private messages or emails, even if sent from someone else's device.

Defamation involves spreading knowingly false information that damages a person's reputation, even if not expressed offensively. Depending on the severity and the target, fines can reach up to $60,000 USD.

Express your grievances politely and avoid personal attacks—this is the best approach when engaging in any online discussion.

Respecting Religious Beliefs

Since 2013, laws have tightened regarding disrespect toward religious beliefs. Offending religious feelings online includes public actions showing clear disrespect toward society and intentionally insulting religious groups. To be liable, actions must:

• Occur publicly or in the presence of believers;
• Demonstrate clear contempt or opposition toward societal norms;
• Directly insult religious feelings through words, images, or symbols.

Such offenses can result in administrative penalties. However, because interpretations vary and court practices are still developing, outcomes depend heavily on judicial discretion.

Extremist Content

Legal action is most frequently taken against those sharing extremist materials or calls to extremist activity online. This includes content that:

• Advocates violent changes to constitutional order or national borders;
• Promotes superiority or inferiority based on social, racial, ethnic, religious, or linguistic traits;
• Publicly endorses terrorism or terrorist acts;
• Displays or promotes Nazi or similar symbols;
• And other activities prohibited by law.

Even private messages containing such content are subject to prosecution.

It is illegal to incite hatred or enmity or demean people based on gender, race, nationality, language, origin, or religion. For instance, making derogatory statements such as "all women are fools" can lead to imprisonment for up to five years.

To avoid administrative penalties, regularly check the official list of banned extremist materials on the Ministry of Justice's website.

Always be mindful of what you post or share, whether from your own or others' accounts. A careless post can lead to consequences far more serious than you might expect.

*Note: Meta Platforms Inc., including Facebook and Instagram, is currently banned in certain jurisdictions.

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