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I Asked Our Community What They Think Is Not Illegal But Should Be, 45 Responded
There are things that are considered wrong by a lot of people, however, one cannot do anything about them because they don't violate the law. Keeping that in mind, I asked the Bored Panda community to share some examples of what they think should be illegal but is not. Apparently, there are many things!
Here are the responses from our Pandas. What do you think should be illegal but is not? Let me know in the comments!
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Children's beauty pageants - parading kids in lipstick and padded bikinis - is wrong.
Removing puppies' tails or ears for cosmetic purposes. One of the most stupid things ever done to an animal.
The Pink Tax and making pads, tampons, and other essential items ridiculously expensive. I recently had to pay 10 dollars for a pack of 24.
we need them. its not like having a period is a choice. its not like when its my time of the month I can just be like "ya know what? I'm not gonna bleed today. I'm super broke."
Politicians voting on their own pay raises.
The American Health Care System. And anyone who makes a profit from it.
Listening to music or videos on your phone in public without headphones!!
Ads that put a fake X in the corner to basically force you into their clickbait.
CEOs making billions of dollars while their employees work 2 or more jobs just to keep a roof over their family’s heads.
How drug companies make “need to live” medical products cost more than one’s paycheck. Example: insulin, EpiPens, and anti-rejection meds for organ transplant patients.
In the U.S., advertising for pharmaceutical drugs. Your healthcare providers should be the ones suggesting what drugs may be beneficial to you, not a bunch of TV commercials.
It's bad enough that it gets advertised to the Doctors- at least they have the training to scrutinise
Load More Replies... Pharmaceutical ads actually helped me, though. My doctor had me coming to the office once a month for injections, which was time consuming and expensive since I had a pretty steep copay for every office visit. But I saw a commercial for a drug that treats my condition in pill form, so I asked my doctor and sure enough she switched me. The new drug worked just as well as the old and I never would have known about it if I hadn't seen it advertised. 🤷♀️
Yeah, I think this website had an article not too long ago that said that doctors actually appreciate those ads since they don’t often have enough time to keep up to date with everything (which is an whole other issue if you ask me) but these commercials mean that patients themselves might have an idea
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Yes, that's why I specifically said "in the U.S.". I believe New Zealand is the only other country that allows pharmaceutical advertising. It should be illegal everywhere. It's just flat out inappropriate, in my opinion.
Load More Replies... The thing that gets me about medication ads is they NEVER tell you what the drug is for! "Ask your Dr if Cletamus is right for you!" Then you have little old ladies asking their Dr if a drug that treats prostate cancer is 'right for them'. Just TELL US what the drug is for ffs!
Why can't I just watch the flash without getting the same add for migraine meds 18 different times
When I was younger, I saw an ad for this medicine. I think it was an erectile dysfunction medicine, idk. Well, I asked my doctor as I was 5 or 6 and I think they just laughed. Funny story, I guess
Even without the commercials the doctors get kickbacks in the US for prescribing certain medications. These include, money, trips, cars, etc.
New Zealand is a weird middle ground on this. We have those ads, but we also have largely public healthcare, and at the end of the day the first thing most people want to know is whether we can get something that’s government-funded. I don’t really get why we have those ads tbh.
Always: Ask your doctor if Xekgyfrad is right for you. Never: Xekgyfrad is used in the treatment of ingrown toenails in people over 90yo with polydactyly.
It used to be that way until a bunch of liberals decided that the pharms and doctors were in cahoots and hiding certain drugs from the patients because they were cheaper. That's what started the whole thing. I remember when the whole health tree did not advertise at all.
Well, at least advertising laws force disclosure of negative side effects (unlike Covid drugs).
My doc and I are pretty good friends and I asked him during one visit, "do you hate patients coming in and asking for meds they see on TV?" He looked at me and said "If I had a dollar ..."
This kind of advertising is illegal in my country - same goes for ads for cigs and booze
YES, why TF are commercials telling us to tell our doctor what meds we need? That is just ridiculous! Especially when they tell you not to take the drug when your allergic to it. Well, duh! Lol..
I agree. In some magazines I've see a page with a big colorful ad for the drug followed by two complete pages of small print cautions and side affects and scientific warnings
When people from other countries watch American television they're shocked with all the pharmaceutical advertisements.
I've read that pharmaceutical companies offer doctors lots of incentives like money, free vacations, luxury goods, to get doctors to choose the companies' products over competitors.
You'd be surprised how many doctors don't actually know all the medication options.
To be fair most of the health care providers are not pharmaceutical experts. They really don't have time to understand all the meds. Pharmacists are where to go when you have questions.
Bro, they advertise to them too.... Your best bet is to talk to a pharmacist, but you average primary care doc prob doesn't know much more than the adds about most meds. Reps get paid to find loopholes around the laws that keep them from paying off docs.
It actually helps people be aware of their options for certain medications and to discuss them with the doctor. I just find it gross because I'm quite sensitive to side effect lists and I often have to mute them when I have to sit through them. It makes my skin crawl just hearing them.
Yep tv the biggest drug dealer now and some times the side affects are worse then what's trying to prevent.and some times the side effects are the same thing it's trying to prevent
True. Nobodies are the same therefore some bodies have to be monitored by a real doctor.
If the cost of the advertising could be dropped, the price of prescription drugs could go down - maybe significantly.
Agreed. There's no reason (other than them making money) to have pharma commercials. They should have been banned before cigarette commercials were even.
This used to be illegal. Then the lobbyists starting throwing bags of money and free Tahitian vacations at our congress people, and BING! whaddiya know? Suddenly not so illegal any more.
It's become the people's responsibility for everything and it's so stupid. Restaurant too much of cheap asses to pay their employees a living wage? Tips. Doctors too lazy to look through medicines for you? Advertise. You want protection? Lol pretty soon we're all screwed.
I agree! But I get chronic migraines, and my doctors tried about 4 different medications that didn't work well for me. He told me at this point my only other options are injections or opioids. I've been seeing a lot of commercials that claim otherwise 🤔 Now back to the American healthcare system..if only I could afford to try anything else 😭
Yes, we (the viewers) also hate them and the ridiculously long lists of side effects
Did you become unalive from taking this medicine? If so, call this number now.
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That and lawyer ads. Did you get get in a wreck while texting and driving? We can make sure you don't have to pay anything even if you caused somebody horrible damage!
Lawyers' ads and drug ads used to be considered unethical. How did that change?
i agree. however - the only caveat to having these ads is that there is usually small print or voice over with advice regarding potential side effects or dangers. most patients will not read the info that is provided with a prescription because they automatically think that their doctors would tell them of any potential hazards. some of my drs have suggested the use of biologics for my chronic disease but my personal history makes them a danger in the form of infections as well as other things like lymphomas and t.b.
We in other countries find this so weird, the only things that are advertised on tv are over the counter pain meds (paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen ) treatments for indigestion, constipation, vitamins & weight loss pills & shakes. NO Prescription Medications are advertised. You don’t tell your Dr what to prescribe, they prescribe the medication they think is best to treat your condition. & Health insurance in NOT linked to your job in any way shape or form. Health insurance is private & you choose your cover & company. & of course Everyone is covered in a Public hospital by universal health care.
Well yes and no…cause most doctors don’t really bother to actually check what is wrong and throw a bunch of pills at you that don’t actually deal with the problem. Or worse even, tell patients it’s all in their head. Instead of commercials though, there should be like a non-biased knowledge site to help people look into or help inept doctors find better medication for what actually is needed.
Ask you Dr about Valtrnalux. (And the 7 other meds you need for the side effects)
This is actually illegal everywhere else in the world. Only in America and New Zealand do pharmaceuticals directly advertise to consumers
Side effects may include severe heart attack, spontaneous combustion, death, disappearing pancreas, lung failure, cancer, death, death, death, me under your bed, pain in your back specifically bellow the left shoulder blade, and a mild fever. Ask a doctor if you experience any of those symptoms from using or eating craynonaise ( crayon mayonnaise).
Yep. Those adds be like: “Ask your doctor about taking this pill that could possibly give you a deadly cancer!”
It used to be they couldn't. Somehow they got it changed back in 1997, actually 1985, but took off in 97. They should also make it illegal for them to have sales reps selling to drs. They should only be able to send dr info or pamphlets
Bullying. Punishments are too light for both child and adult offenders.
Gender Reveal Parties (or at least the ones that require explosives)
It's so dumb and people are always getting hurt from these. Popping a balloon is one thing, but firing a cannon? Not okay.
Why is everyone so invested in someone's kid's genitals?! The best gender reveal party would involve popping a balloon that sprinkled biodegradable purple confetti, followed by "Yakkity Sax" blasting on speakers while a couple people in fairy wings skip around with signs that say "Gender is a social construct," "Kids are more than gender," and "Ask me about my personally signed copy of Judith Butler's Gender Trouble."
Employers not paying a living wage.
Plastic clam shell packaging. Especially when it's used for a knife or pair of scissors.
For-profit health insurance companies. Another one: for-profit news organizations. I'm tired of "news" being more about evoking a visceral emotional response to get more clicks and money as opposed to thoughtfully laying out facts and reality (appealing to the intellect).
Bullfighting
Not being paid equally because you're not male. Like, how has this not been written into law!
Indeed. Everyone knows it's still happening, but governments aren't changing it, except Iceland. I think they've made it law for all genders to be paid equally.
Spam. Junkmail, that is (not the canned meat product).
Littering. Whoever gets caught dumping their trash somewhere where it doesn't belong (beach, ocean, streets, parks) should pay a fine or face legal proceedings.
Where I live technically you do have to pay a fine, but it isnt ever inforced.
I think that child marriage (marriage below 18) should be illegal with NO exceptions. It creates so much trouble for the kids, yet so many states still have many loopholes. Only a few have a strict ban. NO parental consent, NO exceptions, and KEEP it that way. Sometimes it is used to keep a rapist out of jail because the child is pregnant. There was actually a case, by the way, where a girl's father or mother had her married because her boyfriend got her pregnant while drunk. She only consented because she loved him, and she was happy to be a mother. Sadly, the child miscarried during the wedding, but her folks never got punished for this. Instead, they went to a different state to get consent from a judge. Man, life is wrong!
Lobbying.
Chewing gum and then sticking it on things which are not in a bin should be banished.
Came out of a store, the other day, to find a huge wad of bright blue chewing gum stuck onto my front bumper! I mean, wtf kind of person does that? Luckily it was raining and it just slid off when nudged with the toe of a shoe but STILL! UGH!
The gay panic defense (in some states is banned, most not though). Basically, it’s legal for someone to MURDER a gay person if they claim that they had an “uncontrollable reaction” to seeing a gay person. Yeah. I believe the men who murdered Matthew Shephard tried to use this defense.
Should definitely be banned.
Overloaded sugar in drinks and snacks.
Kissing babies that are not your own!
Wait- eww people do that?? I mean I kiss my baby cousin but she’s my cousin!
Smoking right at the entrance / exit of a building. I always have to cross a "smoke screen" when I exit the train station or want to enter a hospital. Some hospitals have taken action to create a "smoke area" away from their doors and I think it should be so for every public facility.
In the UK you have to be a minimum of 6ft away from an entryway or exit.
Fireworks. They upset my dog.
I think a lot of people would be mad about that because they are a fun tradition for some people. I used to love fireworks, but now I am scared of them because they are dangerous and I don't like loud noise anymore.
Doing things to a child because the parent consented. From kissing to ear piercings to stealing. Especially if the child is old enough to tell you if you can or can't.
Gerrymandering by sitting politicians
Excessive and unnecessary plastic packaging on products.
meta-data harvest/banking and data-profiling.
Especially menstrual cycle apps, now that the pro birthers have won this battle...just not the war
Spreading anti-vax information to any public platform
Any mention of vaccines on Facebook in Australia now gets a link to the real information by the government/health system, regardless if it's about a covid one
Showing school children in programs as being sexually attractive.
Reminds me of a perfume from the 1970s called Love's Baby Soft. Their full-page ad on the backs of magazines offered (yes, that's the right word) a girl of no more than 12 wearing makeup - complete with sticky red lips - looking into the camera, cuddling a teddy bear.
Having a system of government that transfers wealth upwards.
Regulation is the means by which the wealthy and powerful use government to protect their market share. The notion of a "well-regulated free market" is oxymoronic. As information technology expands, economies are increasingly able to be controlled not by regulation, but by informed choices. So Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Disney, GM, Exxon, etc., urgently convince people that they need more regulation. Absent governmental controls (like 100-year copyrights, frivolous patents, etc.), wealth and power will obey the law of entropy.
The electoral college
I mean, simply stating here, it’s controversial bc while it does give other small cities and states better recognition, it also was enacted bc America was founded by rich white men who did not want the poor white men “interfering”with the government. So if it was created to keep “uneducated” opinions from tainting the presidential vote, is it really still necessary in a society full of much more educated people than there were in the 18th century? Guess it really kind of depends on knowledge extents and educated opinions.
Over testing in schools. I feel more like a lab rat than a 5th grade kid!
But how else will we knowledge when you are ready for the next stage of the experiment. Err next class.
The 2 party system
catcalling women
In addition, women should respect men the same way. I'm in high school and just the way people talk to each other... it's so sexual and uncomfortable without the receiver's consent. It doesn't matter the gender, it's the action in general. And before you downvote me, I am a girl
Monday's. Nobody likes them so lets ban that day
February, too. It's short, nobody likes it, and just to be a pain in the butt, every four years they add a day.
Germany’s age of sexual consent laws: The age of sexual consent in Germany is 14, and it means that a 65 year old man can fully legitimately and legally have sex with a 14 year old girl. How on earth can that be????
Cigarettes
Note: this post originally had 111 images. It’s been shortened to the top 44 images based on user votes.
Influencers....as it seems to make so many of them feel they are entitled to 'free' and the people that follow them don't seem to have their own thoughts any more.
I do not recognize "influencing" as a job. I think they are leeches.
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The take away from this is that so many things are legal in the USA that are illegal and actively enforced in the U.K. and Europe.
But, but... It's the greatest country in the world...
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Here's one for you: Websites reusing stories from over a year ago, adding one or two new things, and presenting it as an entirely new article.
BoredPanda has been doing this increasingly now. I responded to a comment from over three years ago that one the BoredPanda "writers" posted today. This site actually (if you can believe it) used to write their own lighthearted articles in the past and focused more artwork. Now it has completely turned into a listicle website a'la Buzzfeed. Why do the employees have "writer" in their description if all they do is repost old articles or post listicles from Reddit/Buzzfeed? It is a shame as this really used to be a fun site. BoredPanda, you have people who are educated to write---USE THEM.
Load More Replies... BoredPanda why are you continually recycling and reposting articles from over a year ago? What in the world is happening to this site anymore from the censorship to the constant reposting? You have actual employees who are trained as writers, why in the world aren’t you using them?! I’m sick of lazy reposts and these constant “am I the a*****e” articles? What happened to all the art and fun articles on this site? Do the writers even write anymore?
Maybe BP Got Bought Out And Went "Corporate" ? (Shudder)
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Don't ever, for any reason, do anything to anyone, for any reason, ever, no matter what. No matter where. Or who, or who you are with, or where you are going or... or where you've been... ever. For any reason, whatsoever.
Downvotes--BP Regards ALL Downvotes As "Offensive" Leading To Suspensions/Banishment--Some Downvotes Are Just "Disagree"
Most downvotes are disagreements yet BoredPanda still suspends its good users. They NEVER respond to e-mails anymore asking for trolls that spread hate speech on site to be suspended yet they censor common words like d**k and sex. This has to be one of the most hypocritical websites I have been on and it is a shame to see what was once a really fun lighthearted site has turned into.
Load More Replies...
Influencers making profit out of ruining some poor grocery worker's day
Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change!
No one said the big ones huh? Ok, anti-abortion laws, police in schools (they just scare kids no matter what the intent), protesting people trying to get health care (no one needs a sea of a$$holes on their way into a vaccine clinic), continuously paying a small fine vs fixing an environmental problem that's getting worse, supporting a country (like Russia) who started a war for more power (looking at you Nestle), and refusing two people (18+) the right to marry.
Making things illegal just because they irritate you. We've become such an intolerant, control-freak society with no sense of individual liberty at all. So many people on this thread would make wonderful Nazis or Stalinists. You don't like a gender-reveal party? Don't go to one; I never have. You want to ban them? Screw you and the high horse you rode in on, you hypocritical totalitarian nitwit.
Alcohol. I know many won't agree, but I've dealt with too many alcoholics and had to live with one, so I find it way more damaging than weed, for example.
I thought this would be something funny and wholesome, such as "being forced to wake up early in the morning" or "going to work 5 days a week" or "cilantro". Instead, a bunch of so-called woke people try to enforce cancel culture, US Americans wish for things perfectly normal anywhere else and a few spread disinformation. Disappointing.
Interesting to read. Although I feel like a lot of this is just people’s pet peeves and not things that should be strictly illegal.
A lot of these are personal pet peeves. Glad someone mentioned it.
#20. Pay discrimination is already super illegal but employers will do any kind of shady nonsense to get around it. Know your rights and take those jerks to court. Loudly and publicly.
Fact Republic that in France child beauty pageants are banned. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24145119
I believe, as a photographer, a certain level of Photoshop on models without a disclaimer should be illegal. It often straddles false advertising
Treating 1st year apprentices like your lacky, tea maid!!! I personally think of this as bullying, they are there to learn a trade, job etc, not be your slave!!!!!
Some things that should be banned. 0) lists. 1) being repetitive. 2) lists. 3) people who tell you cantaloupe is really musk melon. 4) squishy grapes. 5) zero based indexing. 6) decorative cabbage. 7) the words moist and musk. 8) jokes about lists
Families to poor to send Kids to school. When parents Split up and the mother being a foreigner, forcing the kid to move with them to their country.
Political lawn signs. They're an eyesore that has no impact on the outcome of any election.
Can I just say I hate when men or women sexualize women's clothes. I mean it's clothes,like one time I was wearing my thigh high boots with long shorts and my Dad said You look like your going to the club. I mean can I not dress in anything that I'm comfortable in?
Walking out of the store with out buying nothing they will just stare at me or when my mama is in line then she go somewhere real quick to get something and the employees just be looking at me I have anxiety so
This article is a perfect example of what's wrong with society. Every single law being pushed here is malum prohibitum laws ("illegal because they're currently prohibited") and not malum en se laws ("illegal because it's wrong"). We already have all the malum en se laws we need - laws against murder, theft, rape, etc - so everything here is just subjective ideas that literally will and can never end. There's no quenching the beast and those in power will always use these laws (and the justifications you read in comments) to tyrannize their opponents.
IVF is mostly used for people who are sterile and cannot conceive on their own. But like the octo mom, then yes. It shouldn't be legal after too many kids.
Load More Replies... Influencers....as it seems to make so many of them feel they are entitled to 'free' and the people that follow them don't seem to have their own thoughts any more.
I do not recognize "influencing" as a job. I think they are leeches.
Load More Replies... The take away from this is that so many things are legal in the USA that are illegal and actively enforced in the U.K. and Europe.
But, but... It's the greatest country in the world...
Load More Replies... Here's one for you: Websites reusing stories from over a year ago, adding one or two new things, and presenting it as an entirely new article.
BoredPanda has been doing this increasingly now. I responded to a comment from over three years ago that one the BoredPanda "writers" posted today. This site actually (if you can believe it) used to write their own lighthearted articles in the past and focused more artwork. Now it has completely turned into a listicle website a'la Buzzfeed. Why do the employees have "writer" in their description if all they do is repost old articles or post listicles from Reddit/Buzzfeed? It is a shame as this really used to be a fun site. BoredPanda, you have people who are educated to write---USE THEM.
Load More Replies... BoredPanda why are you continually recycling and reposting articles from over a year ago? What in the world is happening to this site anymore from the censorship to the constant reposting? You have actual employees who are trained as writers, why in the world aren’t you using them?! I’m sick of lazy reposts and these constant “am I the a*****e” articles? What happened to all the art and fun articles on this site? Do the writers even write anymore?
Maybe BP Got Bought Out And Went "Corporate" ? (Shudder)
Load More Replies... Don't ever, for any reason, do anything to anyone, for any reason, ever, no matter what. No matter where. Or who, or who you are with, or where you are going or... or where you've been... ever. For any reason, whatsoever.
Downvotes--BP Regards ALL Downvotes As "Offensive" Leading To Suspensions/Banishment--Some Downvotes Are Just "Disagree"
Most downvotes are disagreements yet BoredPanda still suspends its good users. They NEVER respond to e-mails anymore asking for trolls that spread hate speech on site to be suspended yet they censor common words like d**k and sex. This has to be one of the most hypocritical websites I have been on and it is a shame to see what was once a really fun lighthearted site has turned into.
Load More Replies... Influencers making profit out of ruining some poor grocery worker's day
Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change! Climate change!
No one said the big ones huh? Ok, anti-abortion laws, police in schools (they just scare kids no matter what the intent), protesting people trying to get health care (no one needs a sea of a$$holes on their way into a vaccine clinic), continuously paying a small fine vs fixing an environmental problem that's getting worse, supporting a country (like Russia) who started a war for more power (looking at you Nestle), and refusing two people (18+) the right to marry.
Making things illegal just because they irritate you. We've become such an intolerant, control-freak society with no sense of individual liberty at all. So many people on this thread would make wonderful Nazis or Stalinists. You don't like a gender-reveal party? Don't go to one; I never have. You want to ban them? Screw you and the high horse you rode in on, you hypocritical totalitarian nitwit.
Alcohol. I know many won't agree, but I've dealt with too many alcoholics and had to live with one, so I find it way more damaging than weed, for example.
I thought this would be something funny and wholesome, such as "being forced to wake up early in the morning" or "going to work 5 days a week" or "cilantro". Instead, a bunch of so-called woke people try to enforce cancel culture, US Americans wish for things perfectly normal anywhere else and a few spread disinformation. Disappointing.
Interesting to read. Although I feel like a lot of this is just people’s pet peeves and not things that should be strictly illegal.
A lot of these are personal pet peeves. Glad someone mentioned it.
#20. Pay discrimination is already super illegal but employers will do any kind of shady nonsense to get around it. Know your rights and take those jerks to court. Loudly and publicly.
Fact Republic that in France child beauty pageants are banned. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24145119
I believe, as a photographer, a certain level of Photoshop on models without a disclaimer should be illegal. It often straddles false advertising
Treating 1st year apprentices like your lacky, tea maid!!! I personally think of this as bullying, they are there to learn a trade, job etc, not be your slave!!!!!
Some things that should be banned. 0) lists. 1) being repetitive. 2) lists. 3) people who tell you cantaloupe is really musk melon. 4) squishy grapes. 5) zero based indexing. 6) decorative cabbage. 7) the words moist and musk. 8) jokes about lists
Families to poor to send Kids to school. When parents Split up and the mother being a foreigner, forcing the kid to move with them to their country.
Political lawn signs. They're an eyesore that has no impact on the outcome of any election.
Can I just say I hate when men or women sexualize women's clothes. I mean it's clothes,like one time I was wearing my thigh high boots with long shorts and my Dad said You look like your going to the club. I mean can I not dress in anything that I'm comfortable in?
Walking out of the store with out buying nothing they will just stare at me or when my mama is in line then she go somewhere real quick to get something and the employees just be looking at me I have anxiety so
This article is a perfect example of what's wrong with society. Every single law being pushed here is malum prohibitum laws ("illegal because they're currently prohibited") and not malum en se laws ("illegal because it's wrong"). We already have all the malum en se laws we need - laws against murder, theft, rape, etc - so everything here is just subjective ideas that literally will and can never end. There's no quenching the beast and those in power will always use these laws (and the justifications you read in comments) to tyrannize their opponents.
IVF is mostly used for people who are sterile and cannot conceive on their own. But like the octo mom, then yes. It shouldn't be legal after too many kids.
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