We swim with dolphins - so why do some say it’s illegal to talk to them? Some online conspiracy theories mentioned in social media posts suggest that a law came along in 1972 to stop people learning how dolphins were used by the US military in the 1960s for secret operations. But, the US Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) protecting the animals includes the line that people should not "harass, hunt, capture or kill, or attempt to harass, hunt, capture or kill any marine mammal." Some posts on social media seem to have misinterpreted this as meaning people should not talk to any dolphins they may encounter in the wild. Tap the link in @BBCNews’s bio to read more about the truth behind these claims. #Dolphins #AnimalWelfare #BBCNews