Online Stalking & Harassment: Cyber Safe Advice

Advances in technology present greater opportunity for criminals to stalk.

Cyberstalking Can Involve:

• Repeatedly sending messages which inflict harm, harass, intimidate or make someone feel unsafe
• Digitally ‘tracking’ someone by using their social media updates, and location settings
• Using this activity to enable physical, offline stalking
• Posting malicious information about someone online
• Receiving direct threats on messaging platforms
• Being impersonated with fake social media accounts set up
• Having your online accounts taken over and hacked
• Webcam hacking and blackmail

Protect Yourself Online

• Review what information exists about you online, and keep it to a minimum
• Review your online privacy and security settings – who can see what you post on social media and who has access to your accounts?
• Ensure that your computer and mobile devices have anti-spyware software installed and turned on
• Ensure your wireless hub/router has security turned on, and you have changed your router password from its defauly. 
• Unless you are using a secure web page, do not send or receive private information when using public Wi-Fi
• Limit the amount of personal and financial information you share on and off-line
• Educate friends, family and work colleagues about the risks – they may otherwise be sharing information about you online, even without them realising

If You Are Affected By Cyberstalking

• Screenshot any harassing messages or any other proof of the stalking behaviour, along with dates, times and any online user information
• Report the stalking to the police
• Turn off the location setting on your phone
• Update your social media privacy settings, and only add people you fully trust
• Regularly change your passwords for key online accounts and keep them safe (e.g. banking, social media, emails)
• You may wish to consider changing your email address
• Change any usernames to something which does not identify YOU, go for something as generic as possible
• Avoid online public forums, and be careful of how much information you may have shared on these in the past – if you can, go back and delete posts

Support For You

• Seek help and support from organisations such as the National Stalking Helpline and Warwickshire Victim Support
• Most social networking sites have a means of reporting such issues, for example Facebook, click here. Twitter is also introducing an in-Tweet 'Report Abuse' button across all apps and its website