Is using free wifi, unlocked considered stealing?

[Andy]

Whenever I walk to school, I like to listen to YouTube videos (like the AmazingAtheist, Mr. Repzion) and I always have to connect to wifi to watch the videos. Since it is free, unlocked (I can obviously only connect to wifi networks without passwords), is it considered stealing? And it's like personal wifi, not like McDonalds wifi.

[Jimmy John]

only if you hack into it or try to hack into computers on the network

[Luiz Gustavo]

Well, I think that no. If the people don't want to someone uses their wifi, he will put a password, no? But I recommend you to talk with the owner of the wifi. It can be a wifi of the school itself, so try to talk with principal or something like that. Or try to find people with the signal. Good luck.

[Daniel]

i Would Not Consider it Stealing its Ok to Use Someone Elses Network as Long as you Dont Do Anything to It Like Hack it or Mess With it

[McGubbins]

Actually, accessing wifi connections that don't belong to you is a criminal offence, it does not matter if the connection is unsecured or not, you must still have the owners consent. If the owner discovers that you are using their connection, they can have you arrested and prosecuted, that said, it seems unlikely that you would get caught in the first place.

[deanyourfriendinky]

By the authority vested in me by Me, Myself, and I, I hereby grant you permission to use the unsecured wifi signal for the exclusive purpose of watching harmless youtube videos until such time as the person whose wifi signal you're using revokes this permission. If the wifi signal has free access to pass through your device (and through your body, without so much as a "Thank You"), you hereby have free access to use it for the purpose I have decreed.

[prem]

I think if you have hack the password of the wifi.Then you have able to used the wifi. freely.

[Nicolas]

it is still stealing and illegal.
the Computer Fraud and Abuse act specifies that unauthorized use of networks, whether they are secured or not is illegal.