Cyberstalking Prevention

Cyberstalking is harassment using electronic devices. In today’s interconnected world, using electronic media such as the internet, cellular phones, and social media has brought positive and negative societal changes. One of the shadowy and detrimental effects of this digital revolution is the ability to abuse the medium quickly and easily harass people (groups or individuals). The harassment may include “threats, solicitation for sex, false accusations, defamation, slander, libel, identity theft, and vandalism.” For instance, Jason, a coworker of Jennifer (an actual case — names changed), has hacked into her laptop and took illegal and compromising photos of Jennifer while she was home with her laptop. He then threatened to release those photos to force Jennifer to deny a promotion Jason and Jennifer were vying for competitively. Jenifer has become a victim of cyberstalking.

Jason has committed an act of cyberstalking by illegally accessing Jennifer’s laptop. These actions meet the criterion of cyberstalking by gathering unwanted information about Jennifer. Jennifer was explicitly targeted by Jason when he violated her privacy by monitoring her through illegal means (via an electronic device). Also, Jason used the information he gathered to threaten and coerce Jennifer into an action she preferred not to take. Dozens of websites have compromising photos of women taken without consent from laptop cameras, so be careful! Normally I would not show one, but I think it is important to illustrate what could happen.