Certain states may hold hosts responsible for guests’ alcohol consumption, whether or not the hosts are directly providing the booze. New Jersey laws N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.5 to 2A:15-5.8 holds a host liable if they willfully and knowingly serve alcohol to a guest visibly intoxicated whom later causes injury or damage while driving; Indiana’s Social Host Law has same terms, including host responsibility for bring-your-own-booze events. Minnesota Statute § 340A.90 states that a host can face legal action if an intoxicated minor consumes alcohol at their event which leads to an accident, injury, or fatality.
Hosts may be held responsible for other injuries sustained at their event – such slipping on an icy sidewalk – which begs the question: are hosts responsible for attendees’ digital activities while on-site?
Anyone visiting my house are provided access to my guest wi-fi. Am I required to protect people from their own stupidity if they stupidly download a virus/malware/ransomware that damages their device? Is a guest able to sue for mental distress if their teenager access a porn site? What are the potential damages if network rate-limiting results in an important work notification being blocked? A guest connects to the neighbor’s unsecured access point which was explicitly designed to capture confidential and private information from unsuspecting non-techies?
Should guests be required to agree to usage terms that do not hold me responsible for their use? Guess that’s why we have lawyers in this country.
Image Credits
- “Drunk College Kids” by greggoconnell is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
