There are different types of improper real activities that can be transformed into online activities. Cyberstalking is essentially a digital stalking that can be performed in complete anonymity using randomly created social media accounts. Like cyberbullying, it is also intended to harass someone. Cyberstalking can be a secret activity at start, but the person may eventually divulge their activities. Traditional stalkers will slowly try to shadow the movements of their victims. They may use telescopes or binoculars to spy from hidden areas. On the other hand, cyberstalkers digitally keep an eye on their targets. Due to the use of popular social media accounts, like Facebook and Twitter; our social life is already nearly public these days. As a result, it is getting harder for us to hide our online identity, because social media is meant to share our activities online.
Cyberstalkers could do many things to cover their track or begin their onslaught. They may pose as our false friends and they could also spy on our personal activities. The ease of anonymity has emboldened cyberstalkers in their activities and they believe that they won’t be discovered. In many cases, this is quite true. A cyberstalker could actually a friend who doesn’t seem to have problems with the targeted individuals in real life. Cyberstalkers are able to discover the target’s correspondence, conversations and whereabouts. In some cases, it is even possible for cyberstalkers to impersonate the targeted individuals. This could happen when the person sends faked messages and emails. In many cases, this is quite easy to do, as an example by publishing embarrassing images and posting as the victims.
It is important for us to make sure that any cyberstalking activity can be recorded and brought to the authority. In many cases, cyberstalkers are people that we know in real life. Social media is a place where people can say many things and people have exercised this right. The right has been backed up by many democratic countries around the world. However, it is important to know when the freedom of speech has violated our rights. In this case, freedom shouldn’t end up depriving the freedom of a person. This is an important thing to consider, because the right for free speech is exercised to make sure that people can be freer in any area of their lives. Social media is a public square where we can speak and express our thoughts.
When cyberstalkers already infiltrate the fabric of the target’s life, it is important to perform any legal action to prevent bad things from happening again. In many cases, it is possible to make a list of suspects that can perform specific behaviours and events. Targeted individuals should stay calm and observe the cyberstalking acts. They should be able to determine whether someone has access to specific information that they can use. Cyberstaling is considered illegal in many places and it is important to gather enough evidences so the perpetrators can be caught. Before reporting the case of cyberstalking, we should do our homework and gather all the evidences required to make sure that we are able to catch the perpetrator.