The cyber stalking fact – Top 15

Cyber stalking is one of several cyber crime that have been enabled by the Internet. It overlaps with cyber bullying and cyber luring in that many of the same techniques are used. Social media, blogs, photo sharing sites and many other commonly used online sharing activities provide cyber stalkers with a wealth of information that helps them plan their harassment. By collecting personal data (profile pages) and making notes of frequented locations (photos tags, blog posts), the cyber stalker can begin to keep tabs on an individual’s daily life.

Cyber Stalking Facts: Who’s a Victim of Cyber Stalking?

Anyone can become a victim or cyber stalking. When the words “bullying” or “cyber bullying” are used, however, it generally refers to the victims being children- more specifically students of private or public schools.

Cyber stalking, however, can be anyone, including adults. Children, however, are popular victims. Other people who might be victims of cyber stalking include:

• Disabled persons
• The elderly
• People who spend a lot of time on the Internet
• People who’ve attempted to break up with someone or divorce them
• Employees (by fired ex-employers)
• People who know or have been introduced to or who have worked with mentally challenged individuals (who often form unhealthy or abnormal obsessions or liking for someone else).

The following 15 facts should be kept in mind when developing safety programs, establishing prevention strategies or simply conducting research of cyber stalking, those are top cyber stalking facts everyone of you need to consider:

1. There are generally three types of cyber stalking                                                                         Cyber Stalking (generally involving fear or threats)
   Cyber Harassment (being more of a nuisance)
   Cyber Bullying (generally involving children or students)
2. Cyber stalking can involve humiliation and embarrassment, in addition to harassment
3. Cyber stalker have been known to hurt people financially, such as by tampering with their accounts or trying to ruin their credit
4. Social media is a potential place to pick up or run into a cyber stalker.
5. It is best not to show or display feat to stalkers since this is what they hoping for.
6. Cyber stalkers can be dangerous- they can turn out to be serial killers, child molesters, or psychotic individuals- another reason to take cyber stalking seriously.
7. Although the term cyber stalking is fairly new, the concept of “stalking” has been around for a long time.
8. Most countries are scrambling to deal with the headaches of cyber stalking.
9. Be careful of what computers you use-especially if they are public computers. You may unwittingly give cyber stalkers the information they need to start a harassment campaign against you.
10. Cyber stalking is a form of social terrorism-accordingly, it’s expected that laws dealing with this crime.
11. Clean out your computers and mobile electronic devices before donating, selling or getting rid of them; the information you leave in them can become crucially important in protecting your privacy, identity and peace of mind.
12. In spite of the facts that cyber stalking is a “virtual” crime, there is nothing virtual about it- it’s real and it’s as dangerous as any other type of on the streets crime.
13. Not all cyber stalkers are mentally challenged or psychotic- some of them just want to get even with someone or they may want to get something out of the victim. These latter stalkers are, accordingly, committing several different types of crimes in addition to blatant harassment.
14. Although it’s difficult to prosecute cyber stalking, authorities do take the crime seriously. In fact, communities are adding departments only to deal with cyber crime.
15. When you know or experience directly cyber stalking, you must report it. Only by reporting I can you put a dent in this horrible source of crime.

Written By:

Chuo Yee Chien

Bachelor of Public Relations (Honours)
Tunku Abdul Rahman University College