Tips to Fight against Cyberstalking

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Cyberstalking – Online Harassment on Rise!

The Internet has many good uses as well as bad. On the one hand, it connects people worldwide through different electronic communication technologies and eases communication. On the other hand, it opens the gate to cyberstalking and cyber security threats that adversely affect internet users.  

What is cyberstalking?

Cyberstalking is a kind of harassment that is done by utilizing electronic communication technologies. Electronic communication technologies comprise devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets, as well as social media platforms, instant text messaging, emails, chat, discussion groups, and websites.

The Manish Kathuria V Ritu Kohli case of 2014 happens to be the first cyberstalking case tried in India. The offender stalked a woman called Ritu Kohli through online sources and then abused her by sending vulgar and obscene messages.

Since this incident, there is a surge in the offence of stalking in India from 6,266 reported cases in 2015 to 8,415 in 2017. It is still on the rise.

Why cyberstalking is on the rise?

1. Access to the internet and social media:-

Social media has become easily accessible and is no more exclusively limited to a few smartphone users. The availability of cheap smartphones and access to the internet has bridged the gap between social media and the simpletons.

2. Dependence on social media during the pandemic:-

Since the pandemic started in 2020, cyberstalking incidents over the last two years have taken a sharp rise. Boredom and loneliness over the pandemic years are undoubtedly contributing factors to this.

3. Increased reliance on smart home technology:-

The internet-connected devices of a smart home have also provided increased opportunities for cybercrime. While making our lives more comfortable, we are actually making ourselves potential targets for cyberstalking.

How does cyberstalking happen?

Cyberstalking is usually done by a stranger or acquaintance of the victim. They do it in the form of defamation, false accusations, teasing, and even extreme threats. It may also include monitoring the victim’s activities, identity theft of a person, threatening messages, vandalism, solicitation, doxing, or blackmail. The sole purpose of cyberstalking is to show anger, control the victim, or take revenge.

Such stalkers often lurk around social media groups and show zero tolerance when someone speaks against their notions. They lash out aggressively to shut down others without considering what ill consequences their actions can lead to.

A few tell-tale signs of cyberstalking are:-

• Targeted victims receiving unwanted, frightening, or obscene emails, text messages, instant messages, or MMS
• The victim being harassed or threatened on social media using hate speech, frightening or obscene images, or text messages
• The victim’s computer and his/her internet use are being tracked
• GPS tracking of a victim’s movements

What are the different types and methods of cyberstalking?

Cyberstalking happens in various formats. The most common examples are as follows:

1. Gender-based cyberstalking-

Online gender-based harassment is often faced by women mostly of age 18 to 30. The cyber-stalkers in these cases are often found to be close relatives or known friends of the victims. Gender-based cyberstalking includes rape threats, other threats of violence, posting of the victim’s personal information online including pictures of intimacy, etc. Such a way of stalking prevents the victim to lead an active internet life. They seek recluse from the internet world in order to protect their identity and dignity. More than 75% of women are victims of cyberstalking in India.

2. Cyberstalking of celebrities-

No famous person is safe from cyberstalking. Stalkers of celebrities or public persons feel or have the delusion that they know the celebrity and act accordingly. This leads to celebrities being targets of lies or made-up stories in news.  

3. Corporate cyberstalking-

Corporate cyberstalking happens when a company harasses an individual online, or an individual or group of individuals harasses an organization. The motives behind corporate cyberstalking are ideological or include a desire for financial gain or revenge.

4. Email stalking-

This type of cyberstalking happens when the sender sends hateful, obscene, or threatening emails to the recipient. Sometimes the email sent to the victim may also include viruses and spam.

5. Internet stalking-

This type of cyberstalking occurs when an individual spreads rumours or tracks victims on the internet. The goal of spreading rumours is to slander the victim.

6. Computer stalking-

Hacking the victim’s computer and taking control of it is commonly known as computer stalking. This one may require advanced computer skills. One way to do this is to hijack the webcam of the victim by introducing malware-infected files into the victim’s computer. Even installing Stalkerware may track the location, enable access to texts and browsing history, make audio recordings, etc., without the victim’s knowledge.

7. Catfishing-

This happens when someone creates fake profiles or copies the existing ones on social media to approach victims. It is often seen that people who are looking for partners or friends on social media are most likely to get duped by such catfishing networks. These cyber-stalkers then use trick the victim to get money out of them.

8. Monitoring activities on social media-

In this case, the cyber-stalkers keep an eye on the activities of a targeted victim on social media to follow their behaviour pattern.

9. Geotagging and Metadata-

This is one unusual kind of cyberstalking where the attackers use the Google Street View app to spy on a victim and find their location based on some posts or photos on social media. Moreover, digital pictures mostly have geotagged with the time and location of the picture if it is in the metadata format, which makes it easier for stalkers to access that information by using special apps.

10. False Accusations–

In this case, the offender often sets up a website or blog to post false information about the victim. They also spread false accusations in newsgroups, chat rooms, or other public sites that allow users to make posts.

11. Group harassment-

The cyber-stalker manipulates others into participating in the harassment game. This is a form of group harassment.

12. Playing the Victim-

The offender often plays this game to drum up support for the perpetrator and isolation for the victim. They make false claims on public sites that they are being harassed by the victim.

13. Ordering products-

To humiliate the victim, the stalker orders embarrassing items or subscribes to magazines of obscenity using the victim’s name. They then deliver these items to the victim’s place of work to cause more distress and unrest.

14. Spoofing–

In this case, the cyber-stalker pretends to be a representative of the victim’s bank and asks to verify personal information. This information is then used to gain access to the victim’s bank account.

15. Account Takeover–

Many people have the habit of saving passwords for their bank apps or social media on their electronic devices. If a cyber-stalker gains access to the computer, they can log onto the accounts, and compromise it by changing the passwords. Then they can start sending embarrassing emails, delete documents, or destroy the victim’s reputation.

Why is cyberstalking so dangerous?

Many people who are likely to get stalked online can be also stalked in the physical world. Physical stalking can be prevented as one can try to avoid places and circumstances that will expose them to direct contact with a stalker, cyberstalking offers no such armistice.

Cyberstalkers can harass their victims at any time. They frequently broadcast hateful content online, anonymously, so that they cannot be tricked or avoided.

When someone gets targeted, they are painted with a bullseye, and many other feckless people who can only be courageous behind a screen also join to spread the hate.

It’s in human nature to spread rumours and that too without validating the facts. The all-pervasive character of cyberstalking, as well as the abundance of time it requires to track cyber-stalkers, gives rise to the growth of cyberstalking which has become an alarming trend across the planet.

What are the good practices of Cyber Security to prevent Cyberstalking?

Do you know in most cyberstalking cases, people fall victim because of ill practices of cyber security?

With 60% of the global population using the internet to connect with others and share information, we practically live in the virtual world more than we live in the real world. We share innumerable data about our personal life like addresses, email ids, passwords, bank details, preferences, phone numbers, the bars and restaurants we visit, the hotels we stayed during holidays, the road trips we take every day, etc. on several online platforms. A potential cyber-stalker could easily find out these details using malware and several other techniques of hacking.

It is therefore advised by the police departments to avail cyber security measures in order to prevent data theft. Though one may not need to do a hard-core cyber security course from any institution to learn all the techniques, keeping in mind this simple list of do’s and don’ts will be enough.

1. Increase your privacy settings-

• Make your account Private just like you see on Facebook
  • Make your posts ‘friends only’. Only people you know will get to see them.
  • Don’t make your address or phone number public on social media.
  • Create a separate email address for social media
  • Share your phone number or other private information with a friend in a private message instead of a public post.
  • Avoid using your real name. Use a gender-neutral screen name or pseudonym.
  • Leave optional fields in social media profiles, like your date of birth, blank.
  • Accept friend requests from people you have actually met in person.
  • Accept friend requests only from friends of friends.
  • Disable geolocation settings both on social media as well as on your phone.
  • Use a post box address or office address in case you need to display your address on your website.

2. Secure your PC and phone-

• Avoid public Wi-Fi, which is vulnerable to hacking.
  • Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to prevent anyone from eavesdropping on your communications while using public Wi-Fi because a VPN hides your IP address.
  • Do not leave your smartphone just anywhere unattended. A stalker may install spyware without leaving a trace.
  • Use a strong password to make your phone and computers password protected. Always use complicated passwords which are difficult to guess.
  • Use anti-spyware software to detect any malicious software installed on your computer. If detected take a backup of your data, delete the virus, and format the machine. This way the virus will be completely removed from the system.
  • Always log out of your accounts when you are done especially your emails and social media accounts.
  • Avoid installing apps that want access to your social media or other contact lists like phone numbers and photos saved on mobile.

3. Know the cyber laws of your country-

Stalking is criminalized under the Indian Penal Code, of 1860. The law in India that deals with stalking is section 354D introduced to the IPC by the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act of 2013. The ambit of this section also deals with cyberstalking.

Indian Laws to prevent cyberstalking

• Section 507 of IPC –  This section declares that if anyone receives criminal oppression by way of an anonymous transmission then the individual who is sending threats shall be penalized with detention for up to two years.

• Section 509 of IPC- This section aims at punishing the offender who insults the modesty and privacy of a woman by persistently sending her offensive messages or emails on social media platforms.
• Section 67 of the IT Act, 2000– This section prescribes a penalty for publishing or transmitting obscene content in electronic structure for a period which may prolong to five years and also with a fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees.
• Section 67A- This section of IPC deals with the punishment regarding the transmission of sexually explicit content by the stalker.
• Section 67B– Punishment for publishing or transmitting of content illustrating kids in any sexually explicit act in digital form.
• Section 66 E of IT Act- The category specifies a penalty for infringement of privacy. The section asserts that any individual who intentionally infringes the privacy by sending, recording, or publishing personal pictures (collected from social media) of others shall be punished with up to three years imprisonment or a fine of up to three lakhs.
• Section 499 of IPC – This section deals with sending slanderous information through emails. An individual is guaranteed to serve prison for up to two years, with or without a fine. The offence under this section is non-cognizable, bailable, and triable by a Court of Sessions.

What to do if you’re cyberstalked?

Don’t be a victim of internet stalking. Take these steps if your privacy or modesty is threatened by any stalker.

• Be bold and put in writing to the cyber-stalker that you don’t want to be disturbed.
• Warn the stalker by saying that you will go to the police and take legal steps against him or her.
• Go to the police station with evidence and lodge an FIR against the stalker if he or she continues to offend you. Many police stations in India now have well-equipped cyber cell departments that fight against cybercrimes. They will help you stop the menace.

• Try changing the passwords of your accounts to prevent the stalker from getting more information about you. If possible use a reliable person’s phone to share information with the police.
• Hire professional cyber security personnel to check your computers and other potential electronic devices to see whether they are compromised using spyware or not. If found change the devices or format them to remove the spyware.
• Use your privacy settings to block the person on social media, and then report the abuse to the network.
• If you are getting abusive or threatening emails, then try to know the stalker’s ISP – the part after the @ in their email address. Contact abuse@domainname or postmaster@domainname. Most ISPs take cyberstalking very seriously.

Conclusion

Because cyberstalking is difficult to track, many victims feel powerless and incapable to bear the pressure. It is not shocking, therefore, that this form of stalking or bullying has been known to incite pessimism and distress in its victims. Hence, be aware of the prevention measures and the laws related to internet stalking to make your life protected from cyber-stalkers.

More reading materials

• Cybersecurity Threats and Attacks: All you Need to Know
• What is Ethical Hacking? Definition, Basics, Types, Attacks Explained
• Cyber Security Jobs- Requirement, Salaries and Scope in Government jobs

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