It’s a wild world; sometimes, the legal stuff confuses us. Here, we’re looking at 25 completely legal things that morality tells us shouldn’t be. Of course, laws are different from state to state, but for the most part, these things are legal across America, even though many of us would agree that they shouldn’t be.
Single-Use Plastics
There’s so much stuff that we just use once and then throw away, like water bottles and plastic bags. They end up everywhere, including oceans and streets, which causes more problems than they’re worth. It kind of makes you wonder why we’re not banning them all to save the planet, right? Plastic straws are already banned in a few states, although there’s still a lot left to do.
Puppy Mills
Puppy mills aren’t anywhere near as adorable as they sound. These places pump out as many puppies as possible without much care for the pups’ health or happiness. You can imagine Cruella de Vil creating them, and we’re honestly surprised that they’re still allowed.
Payday Loans
We’ve all had those times when we’re a little tight on cash, and payday loan places prey on people in that situation. They seem like a lifeline when you’re in financial trouble because they’ll give you quick cash without fuss. But then comes the catch with sky-high interest rates that’ll leave you in over your head, struggling to pay back more than you borrowed. There should be a better safety net for people in tough times.
Telemarketers
Nothing interrupts a relaxing evening quite like a call from a telemarketer. Just how on Earth did they get your number? Even with our modern technology and Do Not Call lists that are supposed to block them out, these calls still find their way through. It feels like a complete invasion of privacy.
Loot Boxes
If you’re a gamer, you’ll know all about loot boxes. They’re boxes in video games for which you pay real money, with the chance of getting a rare item. Sounds cool, right? Well, most of the time, you end up getting duplicates, and there’s no way of actually knowing what you’re getting, which is why some people have said they’re a form of gambling. It gets worse when you think about how much kids might be spending without understanding the odds.
Bottling Water
There’s something truly unsettling about big companies bottling water in places where there already isn’t enough of it and selling it back to us at a premium. It’s even worse when you consider how much plastic waste comes with it. Maybe there’s a smarter, more sustainable way to quench our thirst without draining our planet.
Data Brokers
Most of us live our lives online, and it feels like there’s always someone watching or tracking us. They’re closely monitoring what we buy, where we go, what we’re interested in, and so much more. Eventually, this data ends up in the hands of data brokers, who sell it to the highest bidder. It feels gross that our personal data is up for sale without us agreeing to it.
Fast Fashion
Getting the latest fashion trends without breaking the bank sounds great until you realize the actual cost. It’s bad enough that your clothes fall apart after just a few months, but there are also the environmental and human costs to consider, which have us questioning why it’s still allowed. Is it really worth it? We don’t think so.
E-Waste
Who doesn’t love getting the latest gadget? Unfortunately, we’re moving through things so quickly that a lot of the old tech ends up piling up and being dumped in other places. Most of these places aren’t able to handle the tech safely, and it pollutes the environment. We’ve seriously got to reduce this digital dump.
Antibiotics in Livestock
According to research, around 80% of all antibiotics sold annually in America are used on livestock for sickness and growth. Overusing it like this can help create new germs that are resistant to antibiotics, which is a headache none of us need. Plus, there’s the fact that these antibiotics are going to end up in our bodies, too.
Online Misinformation
Scrolling through your feed and seeing a headline that makes your jaw drop is pretty standard, but then you click it and find out that it’s just not true. Misinformation has a way of looking legit, even if it’s not, and this ends up causing way more drama. Wouldn’t it be nice to scroll without having to doubt every headline?
Deepfakes
Deepfakes are getting scarily good at making us second-guess what’s real, as it can make believing lies way too easy. What happens when someone deepfakes people in authority, saying absolute lies? It feels like the day is coming when we can’t believe our own eyes, and we’ve got to fix things before we get there.
Conversion Therapy
Conversion therapy is essentially just another form of child abuse, except it’s legal in almost every American state. Conversion therapists believe they can fix someone’s sexuality or gender identity through horrible methods that can include literal torture. We’ve come so far in understanding and accepting each other, but this outdated practice is still around.
Housing Market Challenges
Trying to find a decent place to live shouldn’t feel like a competition, but unfortunately, it does. Lots of investors are snapping up properties to turn a quick profit, leaving regular folks in the dust. They shouldn’t be allowed to do this, and we must ensure there are enough homes for everyone.
Civil Asset Forfeiture
There’s no way the government can just take your things without charging you for anything, right? Wrong. That’s precisely what civil asset forfeiture is, and it means the government can leave you out of luck and cash, fighting to get back what’s yours. It’s not right, and our stuff should stay our stuff until someone proves it shouldn’t.
Chemical Pesticides
When you bite into an apple, have you ever considered what else you’re chewing on? With all the pesticides sprayed on crops, it’s a legitimate worry because we really don’t know what we’re eating. These chemicals stick around in our food, and they’ll eventually end up in the Earth, causing all kinds of damage.
Workplace Surveillance
Nobody likes the feeling of someone always watching over their shoulder, especially at work. Sadly, with keystroke trackers and GPS on our phones, our sense of privacy at work has completely disappeared. It’s not right that companies can put their employees under constant watch without their agreement.
Genetic Editing
It sounds like something from a sci-fi movie, but messing around with DNA is happening in labs worldwide. Of course, this could be great, as scientists could wipe out diseases completely, but a wise man once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” It shouldn’t be illegal, but we’ve got to be careful so we don’t start something we’re not ready to deal with.
Social Media and Elections
Social media has become the place for everyone to share their political opinions, which is good until misinformation and manipulation start to draw out the truth. There are so many bots and fake accounts out there spreading lies, and it’s hard to tell what’s real. This gets even worse during election season, and we’ve got to fight it before it’s too late.
Junk Food
Who doesn’t love a good snack? But when junk food is cheaper and easier to get than healthy options, we’ve got a problem. This is especially bad for low-income families, which is one of the reasons obesity is such a problem for them. Stores shouldn’t be allowed to sell junk food at a price cheaper than the healthy stuff.
Non-Competitive Clauses
Non-competitive clauses put people in a chokehold at work because they legally stop anyone from making moves in their own industry. But the real kicker? Sometimes, the clauses are so broad that they don’t just cover your current role but any possible job in your field. It’s unfair; people should be allowed to follow their dreams without legal handcuffs.
Drone Drama
Drones might be great for those breathtaking views and getting your packages dropped off right at your doorstep. But when it comes to our privacy, well, it’s a different story. The airspace above our homes shouldn’t be a free-for-all for anyone to send their drone on a joyride, so hopefully, drone laws will change.
Insider Trading
Okay, so this one technically already is illegal, but it needs to be tightened up. Insider trading means anyone with secret info can make moves before anyone else knows what’s happening to make a profit. The laws around it should be strict so that everyone’s playing the game with the same deck, not just the ones holding all the aces.
Ticket Scalping
If you go to concerts regularly, you know the feeling of buying tickets for your favorite show only to find they’ve vanished in seconds. Soon enough, they’ll reappear on a resale site at twice the price. It’s not right that scalpers can use bots to sell these tickets at insane markups, as it turns live events into a luxury. We’ve got to deal with this issue head-on.
Extra Packaging
It’s annoying enough when you open a package that’s a box inside a box inside a box with way too many plastic air pillows. But there’s also the environmental side, as this extra packaging clogs our oceans and landfills. Enough is enough, and we need laws to stop this madness.
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