When is an online joke a criminal threat?
Legal experts say context — especially whether a reasonable person would view a message as a real threat — determines when online jokes cross into criminal threats.
What starts as a joke online can sometimes turn into a serious legal problem. Posts, memes, comments and messages that seem funny to one person may be viewed very differently by police, prosecutors or a judge if they appear to threaten someone with harm, CyberScoop said. Legal experts say the key question is often whether a reasonable person would see the message as a real threat rather than a joke, CNBC reported.