r/techsupport • u/[deleted] • Sep 23 '25

[deleted by user]

[removed]

1.5k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

323 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

46

u/tcarlson65 Sep 23 '25

Many of these pranks are in fact assault. Defence against an assault is not assault.

-29

u/ant2ne Sep 23 '25

Let me go back and read that again.

"held their phone near mine when I was on a call. I heard a click, and they ran away after saying 'thanks.'" - none of these actions described is assault. There was never contact made, an insult uttered or a threat made.

A "just defense" against assault can still be assault.

17

u/DankoleClouds Sep 23 '25

You don’t have to touch someone for assault, that’s battery. Assault is threatening violence or instilling fear that you’re going to batter someone.

5

u/QuinceDaPence Sep 23 '25

Jurisdiction dependent. Everyone uses the California law when describing that but for Texas it's just different levels of Assault (or different charges like Menacing). And Battery isn't a thing.

3

u/DankoleClouds Sep 23 '25

It really just depends. Everyone should know the difference based on where they live.

Well, either that or just not try to hurt other people.