What is Cyberstalking and How Can It Be Avoided?

What is Cyberstalking?

With the increasing rate of the internet and technology, development has been taken to a whole new level making things accessible and easily approachable within seconds. As positive as it may sound, it has given birth to a considerable extensive, sensitive issue-Cyberstalking.

Cyberstalking refers to the use of the internet to lead to stalking, or more accurately, harassing an individual or an entire organization. Cyberstalking is ethically unacceptable and unlawful as it invades people's personal online information, generally intended to defame, slander, or libel.

Types of Cyberstalking

Cyberstalkers are categorized into four types, namely, vindictive, composed, intimate, and collective. Vindictive cyberstalkers are regarded as harassers who are unrelentingly hostile and harass the victim for no apparent cause other than habit. The term "composed cyberstalker" refers to stalkers who enjoy irritating the victim and have no intention of developing any form of contact with the victim. Intimate perpetrators had a relationship with the victim and are now troubling them to avenge them. A collective type of cyberstalker refers to a group of people who purposely wants to defame an organization's reputation. 

Paradigm of cyberstalking

The much visible upsurge in cyberstalking has led to greater demand for awareness concerning how cyberstalking can be practiced at the most common level. This must be instilled in a common man to shield against cyberstalking attacks. Cyberstalking has taken many complicated turns, among which comes the gathering of personal information to allegedly accuse victims of false allegations, monitoring private information through devices, flying monkeys-form of group harassment, sending viruses via links or images which can ultimately erase important details, GPS tracking which makes it accessible to follow the victim's location, syncing devices to gain updates of the victims and spoofing. 

 Guard against Cyberstalking

Protection against cyberstalking is essential, requiring even more critical steps to be taken. One common way is to stay as anonymous as possible. However, it is not a much practical approach in business matters. It is advisable to have separate email accounts for personal and business dealings for such issues. Installing email spam filters helps cut off the maximum possibility of phishing and cyberstalking attacks. Furthermore, it is essential to note that the internet protocol address is masked with a virtual private network (VPN). Installing antivirus software and avoiding installments of application that asks for personal information are customary handful tools practiced by the majority. 

What should you do if you are being cyberstalked?

• Make it clear to the cyberstalker that you don't want to be approached. Put it in writing and threaten to contact the cops if they don't stop. Don't interact with them after you've provided this warning.
• If they don't stop, call the cops. Many police stations have a dedicated cyberstalking unit, yet they are unwilling to debate the definition of cyberstalking. They'll deal with it if you've been bullied, harassed, or intimidated, whether it's through Facebook, email, or spyware on your phone.
• If you suspect that someone is tracking you using spyware, don't use your own laptop or smartphone to seek help; instead, borrow a phone from a family member or coworker.
• A professional should check your phone and computer for spyware and other signs of compromised accounts.
• Change all of your passwords at once.

Cyberstalking- A crime?

Cyberstalking has been recognized as a much comprehensible crime that needs to be addressed with immediate action. Hence many countries have formulated legislation to prevent cyberstalking. Cyber harassment is a punishable offense in the United Kingdom under the Protection from Harassment Act of 1997. California passed the first state-level law addressing cyberstalking as a criminal in 1999, and other states have since followed suit.

It's a good sign that cyberstalking is being understood for what it is: a serious crime.