Intrång

Intrång is a legal and general term used in several Scandinavian languages to describe an unlawful entry or violation of someone else’s rights. The core idea is that an action interferes with a person’s property, privacy, or lawful interests without permission. The exact scope and use of the word vary by jurisdiction, but the concept is broadly understood as an unlawful intrusion or infringement.

Common contexts for intrång include:

- Trespass to land or property: entering or remaining on someone else’s property without authorization.

- Privacy intrusions: activities that violate a person’s reasonable expectation of privacy, such as unwanted surveillance or recording.

- Intellectual property infringements: unauthorized use, copying, or distribution of protected works (for example, copyright, trademarks, or patents) in some legal frameworks described as intrång.

Digital intrång has grown in importance, encompassing unauthorized access to computer systems, data breaches, and other forms of cyber interference. In many jurisdictions, these actions can lead to civil liability, such as damages or injunctions, and may also constitute criminal offenses depending on severity and context.

Examples illustrate the range of intrång: entering a neighbor’s fenced yard without permission; secretly filming someone in a private setting; or copying and sharing a copyrighted song without authorization. Remedies and penalties depend on local law, including whether the intrusion affected real property, privacy rights, or intellectual property, and whether the conduct is treated as a civil wrong or a criminal act.

Etymologically, intrång derives from roots meaning “into” or “enter,” a pattern shared across related Scandinavian terms. See also trespass, infringement, privacy invasion, and copyright infringement.

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