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We humans are very weird creatures, when you think about it. We are all so different, but also, there are so many things about what we agree on. For example, using a urinal next to another person while there are many others available is very creepy and not normal. Or, for instance, standing on your porch in the middle of the night. You know, I am speaking about things which are legal and there are no rules forbidding them, but it still feels creepy and seeing somebody do it makes you feel uneasy.

Hold that thought, though, because recently one Redditor asked folks to name things which are perfectly legal but are creepy as hell. Community members shared many different weird things, starting from creating websites that count when celebrities turn 18, finishing with walking down the street with a glass of water. So buckle up, check out the best, or to be more specific, the creepiest things and write what makes you feel weird in the comments!

More info: Reddit

#1

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Child beauty pageants.

Linux4ever_Leo , UrbanPromise Report

#2

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online The fact that Epstein’s client list hasn’t been released

Grimmer097 , Pixaba Report

Bored Panda got in touch with the author of this thread, u/ArpanMondal270, and he kindly agreed to share more insights behind the inspiration of this discussion and favorite responses.

“Much of the internet is repetition. Statistics say the same for the front page of the internet - Reddit.”

So the author says that claiming that this thread was an original creation of his would be a downright lie. However, all of our ideas come from somewhere else. “As Tarantino says, ‘I steal from every single movie.’ I stole it too and then edited. The original form was - 'What is something creepy but legal in the US?'" the Redditor shares.

“And at past 1AM when I was creeping around r/askreddit, the idea clicked. That's how I started that thread.”

#3

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Exploiting your kids for fame on social media.

worldworn , Pixabay Report

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thorjhaugen avatar
Thor Haugen
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am not planning on having children, but I think the idea they are property is wrong. My parents weren't the greatest, but they were OK. No abuse, little judgement, and they clearly loved me. They also taught me I am my own person.

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#4

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Divorce lawyer here. People fighting like mad to get the dog in the divorce and then turning it over to a shelter out of spite. Although now in CA there can be SERIOUS consequences for doing that due to recent law changes about pets and divorce, but it wasn't always that way.

The_GSD_Whisperer , Pranidchakan Boonrom Report

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pfeils wife
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Glad to hear they changed that law in CA. Hoping all the other states catch on, if they haven't already. What a shi**y thing to do.

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Speaking about the responses from folks online, he says that he was expecting a good response, though didn't think that it would blow up.

“When I woke up at 7 am , brushed my teeth and opened Reddit, I was like: ‘Hot damn! 5K+ upvotes!!’

#5

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Paparazzi

Delicious-Let8429 , Brett Sayles Report

#6

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Knocking on someone’s front door to sell them something, talk about religion, collect charity etc.

StirtNutz , Suzy Hazelwood Report

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andycran avatar
Andy Cran
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

in the UK here it's illegal after 7pm for unsolicited callers to do that (hawking it's called I believe).... friends and family are obviously exempt (though I'd welcome them banned too ! ) ......also remember you are under no legal obligation to actually answer your door if someone knocks on it

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Additionally, he shares that one specific answer caught him off guard. “It said 'Adopting a 17-year-old by an 18-year-old is perfectly legal in the US.’ Needless to say, it was shocking. Dirty mind, you know. Hehehe, not my fault.”

“But yeah, when I searched on Google, I got to know that it's TRUE!”

#7

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Filming the scene of accidents while emergency health care is being delivered.

Numerous_Share7920 , Tom Fisk Report

#8

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online 35+ year old people, Who wait for months until someone turns 18 to hit on them.

The day they turn 18, they are in their DM's, etc.

Why is this creepy? Because they are predators and trying to seduce (read: manipulate) someone who is adult by law, but pretty much still a child. And if the law allowed younger, then they would do it.

GoodAlicia , Karolina Grabowska Report

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#9

The fact that google, Facebook and Elon Musk can buy the whole internet and that's not considered monopoly

bgbhj32 Report

Moreover, the author says that every subreddit has its own momentum. He was aware that these inquiries go viral. Additionally, it relies on the ideal moment and day… “Saw it someplace.”

And finally, check out the author’s Quora’s profile as he is more active there!

#10

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Marrying a child is legal in 40 US states.

woodwog , Caio Report

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Zoey Rayne
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not okay. A document the child can't properly consent to doesn't make it any morally different than rape or statutory rape.

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#11

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online I babysat for this couple that had a 3 and 6 year old. They both still breastfed.

They were pretty normal otherwise. I don’t even mind extended breastfeeding. Like the 3 year old was whatever.

Seeing that 6 year old pull down her Mother’s shirt and latch was creepy.

lightteenagerbaby , MART PRODUCTION Report

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smallz720 avatar
pfeils wife
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just my opinion, but a 6 year old should not be latched on to mommy's booby.

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#12

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Groping women for up to 10s in Italy.

bigbadler , JÉSHOOTS Report

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danbanks avatar
Dan Banks
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"A court ruling that found a school janitor not guilty of groping a student because the act only lasted less than 10 seconds has sparked outrage in Italy." https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/07/13/europe/italy-groping-court-ruling-scli-intl/index.html

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#13

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Sitting beside someone in a bus/train when there are multiple available seats.

Jackofnotrade5 , Ketut Subiyanto Report

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jonconstant avatar
ConstantlyJon
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

whoever made these amazing Drifloon covid-era train seats knew what they were doing.

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#14

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Taking photos of strangers

cloudtdaz , DSD Report

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Joshua David
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Japan, all phones have a clicking sound when used because of all the pervs. Like you can't turn the sound off.

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otisbdriftwood avatar
Otis B Driftwood
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was working at walmart and there was a group of teens there. They were acting odd. Then one of them took a photo of me and they left. I'll admit I'm not typical looking. I'm a bald woman covered in tattoos, but couldn't they have just asked?

andycran avatar
Andy Cran
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

there is no expectation of privacy in public places, though always try to be courteous of others (UK)

chris_177 avatar
kesunyian
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly what I came to say, you are in public, there is no expectation of privacy, but people should be respectful anyway.. the world would be a boring place if you couldn't take photos in public for the risk of getting someone else in the photo (also it would be a less safe place!)

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Nathan Pogorzala
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you're in public and the photo is not blatant harassment, that is the price we pay for entering into society.

david2074 avatar
David
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Disagree but I'm used to the laws in the USA. I have traveled to many countries and taken photos in all of them. In every country some of the things I wanted to photograph had people around. Where do you draw the line? Your face MIGHT be in the photo but I have no interest in you. I'm taking a photo of the Vatican square or Pompeii ruins or the Christo statue in Rio or building structures in downtown Hong Kong. (and so on). Publishing photos that single you out, especially for profit - yeah, maybe on that. But just - 'no photos of strangers in public' - no thanks.

funfan12 avatar
Fun Fan
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I may be in thousands photos as the random-lady-in-the-background, living in one of the touristically attractive cities in Germany. In a way, I want to be so bored, to care about it ;).

scotchbonnet1987 avatar
Nicole
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think getting caught in the background of someone’s photo is a bit different than people who deliberately take a photo of someone in public and then post on social media (usually to laugh at).

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ericc_ avatar
Eric C.
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Depends on where you live. In Germany, privacy laws restrict what is legally allowed.

nataliahshields avatar
nutella (they/them)
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

should be changed to "without permission". for example, if a group of strangers need you to take a picture of them, that's fine because they asked for it. however, if you were to take a picture of a stranger it would be inappropriate and (rightfully) considered creepy.

randolph_croft avatar
RosenCranzLives
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Traffic and security cameras kind of make this a bit ... irrelevant.

stellalehggs avatar
StellaLehggs
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not that this makes it better, but I'm an artist and had terrible socual anxiety as a teen, but if I saw someone out and about with interesting hair, outfit or facial features, sometimes I'd snap a pic for drawing reference.

emmiepsykc avatar
Em
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is one I have to remember intellectually, because it doesn't strike me as weird at all. If you see me do something amusing in public, by all means, post that s**t! I'd be thrilled to stumble upon it. So when I see someone else doing something funny or strange, it's like "haha lemme get a picture -- oh wait, no, other people don't like that."

jacquelinewilliams avatar
Nice Beast Ludo
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was in McDonald's and this woman in line was ordering in a tank top. SHE was a bit heavier and the skin in her back was creased together kind of like a butt... not something I would normally even pay mind to until the kids behind her took turns holding their phones up and snapping photos of it. Bothered me so much but I didn't do anything about it .. what should you do in that situation? Tell the person they are taking horrid photos of and upset them severely? Yell at the kids and get put on the internet myself? I don't know.

darkdorkychick1778 avatar
brandyy17
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

even if it was illegal ppl wouldnt stop. the amount of pictures and videos taken a day of ppl not wanting their photos taken is crazy. the problem is ppl do stupid stuff or wear stupid stuff and ppl react by taking pics or recording a video whether they like it or not. for example the crazy karens of the world in every video they scream about the person recording. the fact is if they made this illegal they have to make exceptions to the rules. alot of the karen or abusive cop or watever videos can b used for legal purposes or insurance purposes. however the creepy guy in the corner taking pics of woman thats wrong. they wont make it illegal bc they dont want to go thru the trouble of the millions of charges against ppl it would create. theyd have to go thru each case and determine whether its for good reason or creepy reason. they choose to ignore this bc they dont want to deal with that. i do agree photo/video without consent is wrong wen the person is doing it for personal reasons. however if i saw my neighbor doing illegal or shady stuff id totally take a video without their consent and report it.

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StarlightPanda!
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate when people take pictures everywhere, right in front of you. I get that sometimes it's inevitable, but a lot of times it's just invading someone's personal space.

tomhoudek avatar
Tomáš Houdek
Community Member
9 months ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Maybe if they stop censoring porn people would vent and stop doing creepy stuff

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#15

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online The Trade Federation blockade around Naboo

prehistorikmayne , W. R. van Hage Report

#16

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Tabloid journalism, speculating random BS things about famous people off creep photos from paparazzi, speculating about health, relationships, etc... even going so far as to doctor photos just to sell the story they want.

Piemaster113 , Pixabay Report

#17

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online My friends dad took us to the gym when we were kids. There was a line of like 30 treadmills with only one person, a lady on the end. He proceeds to pick the only treadmill adjacent to hers. Lol even as a kid I was like cmon man

shipskelly , Denys Gromov Report

#18

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Making those websites that count down to, usually female, celebrities turning 18.

killersoda275 , Tranmautritam Report

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Clown fish
Community Member
9 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sorry what? Is this really a thing? Like what happens when they turn 18? Or is the a really creepy perv thing

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#19

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Children modeling. The industry is creepy and bad.

BlooGloop , jonas mohamadi Report

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JK
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All the way up until my daughter was ~10 I was constantly asked why I didn't sign her up for modelling, my ex-MIL badgered me constantly, even tried to set up a photoshoot and trick me to taking her. She could not understand I wanted my daughter to just have a childhood, I didn't want her to be critiqued on appearance before she could even walk, I wanted her to have a teenage life where she wasn't obsessing over her appearance. Not to mention pervs. All I ever got was "bUt ThInK aBoUt ThE mOnEy" - f**k that, her life and mental wellbeing was worth more than anything of monetary value.

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#20

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Really specific, but this is my job, so I know about it. In the EU there is a lot of restrictions on how you handle animals for research (Directive 2010/63/EU).

But there is no restrictions on the kind of animal DATA you use for research, as long as you didn't collect the data from living animal subjects in an EU member state.

So you can USE data that was drawn from animals living in the most appalling conditions and in contravention with any and all animal welfare standards and its perfectly legal.

distilledwill , Ellie Burgin Report

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Nicole Weymann
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nice loophole. Somewhat similar to the way medical research profited from experiments done in nazi death camps or scientists offering their medical expertise in a pseudo humanitarian project while actually abusing their unsuspecting patients as human guinea pigs (Guatemala syphilis experiments for just one example)

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#21

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Following people on the street for extended periods of time

Infamous_Bandicoot33 , Jimmy Liao Report

#22

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online If you are on a public sidewalk, you can film through people’s windows into their house. There is no expectation to privacy for anything that can be viewed from a public space. If you want the inside of your home truly private, close your windows

Edit: in the USA

jeophys152 , RF._.studio Report

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Lillian Tracy
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This just isn't true at all in most places. This is largely illegal. They are called voyeurism laws, and can range in misdemeanor to felony. BP really does not fact check a single thing it allows to be posted

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#24

There is still some issues with people being able to fly drones and spy on folks because of FAA regs in not being able to shoot them down.

Cajundawg Report

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Paul Pienkowski
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I want to shoot so many drones. Thankfully my house is entirely obscured by trees, but I still just want to shoot drones.

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#25

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online In some places it’s totally legal to eat human flesh and buy human leather

Shadow_storm193 , Min An Report

#26

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Lawyer here: I once had a client drink another person’s unflushed pee from a public toilet. The judge clearly hated that he had to dismiss my client’s case…

Edit: Lots of great questions, but I will remember what I learned at an MCLE training from Michael Jackson’s lawyer: “no comment” is never the wrong answer.

InVulgarVeritas , Pixabay Report

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jonconstant avatar
ConstantlyJon
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, No Comment is exactly the wrong answer here. I'm pretty sure it's illegal to post that on the internet without an explanation.

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#27

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Smelling a seat when someone stands up

No-Efficiency3406 , freestocks.org Report

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smallz720 avatar
pfeils wife
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've never done this... I've never seen anyone else do this and I have never heard anyone talk about this being done! Until now... and honestly, I would have been OK with going the rest of my life without ever hearing this lol

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#28

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Smelling people.

Howmanywhatsits , Dana Tentis Report

#30

30 Creepy Things That Are Actually Perfectly Legal, Pointed Out By Folks Online Walking into an elevator and not turning around.

Vinny_Lam , Kelly Report

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María Hermida
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't get it. You mean turning around to see if somebody else is getting on the lift?

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Note: this post originally had 41 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.