Is it Illegal to Update Someone Else’s Facebook in WA?

You've either done it, been tempted to do it or it has been done to you.

You leave Facebook open at work and, as you walk away from your desk, your annoying coworker jumps on your account confessing their love for the annoying employee or someone might access the DMs to see the conversations you've been having with your friends in a trusted, private matter.

This type of snooping may sound like harmless fun, but is it illegal?

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Accessing Some Else's Social Media in WA Against the Law?

According to Bulldog Law, yes!

Even though they carelessly left it open for anyone to access, password-free, it's still illegal because it's not yours. Just like how it's illegal to open someone else's mail.

Not only is it unethical, it's could also get you a fine.

Not just Facebook, too. Instagram, TikTok, SnapChat, X, BlueSky, Threads, email, Amazon account, or even your computer in general, if it's not yours and you don't have access or the rights to access someone else's information, it's a form of digital trespassing that could fine you big bucks.

Of course there are harmless pranks people have pulled. But what if someone was trying to install malware or access private information from someone else's computer so it would trace back to them and not the one who accessed it in the first place. That could be bad news for those involved.

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Get Fined for Accessing Someone Else's Info

Fines vary depending on the situation.

If it's something you consider harmless, it could still fine up upwards of $1,000.

Something more serious could be up to $10,000 and some jail time on top of that.

Best thing to do is not care and, you wouldn't want it done to you, so don't do it to them. It's not worth it.