It’s April 1st, and many may start cutting out paper fish to stick on the backs of their loved ones. Others may try more daring pranks that risk going too far. But beware, not all jokes are done in good taste. A poorly thought-out joke could lead to legal consequences!
Pushing a joke too far
A 16-year-old student attempted to play a prank on his teacher. The young man made and wore a shirt with a picture of the teacher along with a false and less-than-flattering message. He was taken to court and ordered to pay his victim $1,000 for defamation. What led the court to take such a decision?
As a general rule, you must behave in a way that avoids causing harm to others. This is true in all contexts, including jokes! This obligation allows us to live better together in a society. In other words, even if you didn’t mean to hurt someone, you may be held responsible for the consequences of a joke that went too far.
A child’s joke might be their parents’ responsibility
You are generally responsible for your own actions. But parents may be held responsible for their children’s actions as well. If your child is under 18 and pulls a prank that causes harm, you may be required to compensate the victim or victims.
In the eyes of the law, parents have a duty to educate and supervise their minor children. So, they may be considered at fault if their child is responsible for damage.
In the case of the student who wore a shirt with a defamatory message, his parents were not held responsible. According to the court, the parents were not at fault: they carried out their duty to educate and supervise their child properly.
April Fools’ joke at work
Thinking of pranking a coworker to lighten the mood? A prank could lead to a workplace accident, with serious consequences for both you and your employer.
For instance, your employer could discipline you. Their contributions to the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité au travail (CNESST or labour standards, pay equity and workplace health and safety board) could also increase. Increases can be significant, especially for serious accidents.
Beware of bullying
As long as there are words, images or actions that hurt or socially exclude someone, bullying can occur even if you don’t mean to hurt the person you’re joking about. If your April Fools’ joke is part of a series of similar actions that have a negative effect on the person, be careful.
Victims of bullying can report it. In some cases, bullying can be considered a crime.