Laws are meant to keep people safe and create a fair society, but some legal practices might shock you.
Can you believe it’s legal for companies to run for-profit prisons, where they make money from locking people up? In some states, people can legally own exotic pets like tigers and alligators, even if it puts others in danger. There are also places where selling human body parts—like hair, plasma, or even bone—can be done for cash.
Payday loans are legal in many areas, trapping people in endless cycles of debt with sky-high interest rates. Many businesses still rely on unpaid internships, which force young workers to work for free, often without learning real job skills.
Civil asset forfeiture allows police to take someone’s property without even charging them with a crime. Some of these laws exist because they benefit powerful companies or government agencies. Others remain legal because they haven’t been challenged or changed yet.
Explore bizarre, controversial, and surprising laws that make you wonder—can you believe it’s legal?
We have compiled a list of some surprising items that are legal or have very little regulation.
