How Stalkers Use Digital Technology Against Their Victims

Digital technology makes it easy to stalk and harass victims

When technology like mobiles and social networks are used to harass and stalk someone, the consequences can be devastating, even deadly, for victims. That is why you should take stalking and online harassment seriously.

Stalkers are obsessive people. They want to know what you are doing, where you going, who you are with, how you feel. Any information or tools they can use against their victims they will use. Digital stalking makes it easy to spy on their victim, get information from friends and family or even put spy software on your computer or mobile.

If you want reduce or stop harassment then you have to stop feeding the obsession. That is why you have to make changes, become more private and be extra careful so your information doesn’t get back to them.

The most common tactics for stalkers :

Monitoring you and friends – looking at what you post, photos, where you go, who you go with etc.
Spyware – putting spy software on your phone or computer
Sending text, messages – sending hurtful or threatening messages to you over and over again
Account takeovers/hacking – accessing your online accounts
Denigration – sending, posting, or publishing cruel rumors and untrue statements to damage your reputation
Distributing photos or videos to embarrass you
Exclusion – contacting or inviting everyone but you
Flaming – posting an abusive response so everyone can see it
Outing – telling people something embarrassing about you
Threats and Dissemination – they threaten you and then tell everyone
Confidence tricks – getting you to reveal information about yourself and then using against you
Impersonation – pretending to be you either online or via email etc.
Spamming – signing you up for junk email
Trolling – say something online to get you to provoke you into responding
Bullying by proxy – getting others to join in