How to Protect Yourself from Online Harassment While on the Internet

How to protect yourself from any threats while on the Internet
How to protect yourself from any threats while on the Internet

How to Protect Yourself from Online Harassment While on the Internet

Online harassment is one of the most intrusive and shocking forms of cyberbullying, and it usually has significant consequences. Some victims have fled their homes, while others have committed suicide or been killed in swatting incidents.

Online Harassment: Understanding the Problem and Protecting Yourself

Up to 64% of young adults in America have experienced cyberbullying, and 41% of adults in the United States have experienced various forms of online harassment. These numbers indicate the widespread nature of this problem. It is time to take a closer look at online harassment and find out what you can do to protect yourself.

Similar to cyberbullying, online harassment is a deliberate and persistent form of online aggression. Online harassment typically precedes cyberstalking and can have real-world effects. In some cases, harassers resort to using malware or hiding GPS devices in their victims' cars, bags, or children's toys to track their movements.

Types of Online Harassment

Let us look at some common examples of online harassment and what you can do if you are affected by them.

  1. Online sexual harassment: This includes sending unwanted sexual messages or pornographic material, and pursuing individuals for sexual purposes online.
  2. Cyberstalking: This involves continuous and deliberate monitoring of a person online, and unwanted surveillance of their social accounts and movements.
  3. Doxxing: This occurs when sensitive personal information about a person is revealed without their permission, such as their address, phone number, and other personal details, with the aim of defamation or subjecting them to attacks.
  4. Trolling: This includes posting offensive, degrading, and deliberate comments on social media platforms or forums, with the aim of provoking and disturbing individuals.
  5. Cyberbullying: This involves using electronic means of communication to bully individuals online, and may include sending degrading messages or threats and spreading lies about the person.
  6. Outing: This involves publishing sensitive personal information about a person with the intent to defame or humiliate them, such as information about their personal life or romantic relationships.
  7. Swatting: This involves making false calls to the police with the aim of summoning police forces to a person's home, causing tension and danger to the targeted person and the police forces.
  8. Denigration: This involves spreading lies and rumors about a person with the aim of damaging their reputation and professional standing.

If you are affected by any of the types of online harassment mentioned above, you should exercise caution and take measures to protect yourself, such as reporting violations to internet service providers or the police, and strengthening the security of your online accounts.
Let us take a look at some common examples of online harassment and what you can do if you are affected by them.

  1. Online sexual harassment: This includes sending unwanted sexual messages or pornographic material, and pursuing individuals for sexual purposes online.
  2. Cyberstalking: This involves continuous and deliberate monitoring of a person online, and unwanted surveillance of their social accounts and movements.
  3. Doxxing: This occurs when sensitive personal information about a person is revealed without their permission, such as their address, phone number, and other personal details, with the aim of defamation or subjecting them to attacks.
  4. Trolling: This includes posting offensive, degrading, and deliberate comments on social media platforms or forums, with the aim of provoking and disturbing individuals.
  5. Cyberbullying: This involves using electronic means of communication to bully individuals online, and may include sending degrading messages or threats and spreading lies about the person.
  6. Outing: This involves publishing sensitive personal information about a person with the intent to defame or humiliate them, such as information about their personal life or romantic relationships.
  7. Swatting: This involves making false calls to the police with the aim of summoning police forces to a person's home, causing tension and danger to the targeted person and the police forces.
  8. Denigration: This involves spreading lies and rumors about a person with the aim of damaging their reputation and professional standing.

If you are affected by any of the types of online harassment mentioned above, you should take measures to protect yourself, such as reporting violations to service providers or the police, and strengthening the security of your online accounts.

 

Online Sexual Harassment

Dating apps, forums, and social media platforms are rife with sexual predators, especially those that allow you to send private messages. Reports confirm that 40% of women have experienced sexual violence online, with severe consequences. For example, the life of Amanda Todd, a 15-year-old Canadian girl, ended after two years of blackmail by an online sexual predator.

Whether you are receiving persistent demands for intimate photos or someone is continually objectifying you by leaving unwanted sexual comments, you must intervene before the situation escalates and turns into cyberstalking.

Tips on what to do:

  1. Report the harassment: Report to the platform or website where the harassment is occurring. Most platforms have reporting mechanisms to deal with such issues. Additionally, you can report the harassment to the relevant authorities, such as the police, if necessary.
  2. Preserve evidence: Document all instances of harassment by taking screenshots or obtaining any other relevant information. Consider documenting dates, times, and any other details that can support your case. This evidence can be useful if you decide to take legal action or if the platform requires proof of harassment.
  3. Block and ignore the harasser: Use the available blocking and privacy settings to prevent any future communications from the harasser. Avoid interacting with the harasser, as this can encourage the continuation of their behavior.
  4. Seek support: Reach out to friends, family, or support groups that can provide emotional and psychological support.

 

Cyberstalking (Electronic Stalking)

Cyberstalking refers to the use of the internet or other digital means to follow or intimidate an individual, group, or organization. This type of harassment can include monitoring a person's online activities, sending threatening messages, or using technology to track their location. Victims can feel unsafe and anxious, and are significantly affected in terms of their privacy and daily life.

Cyberstalking often escalates into real life as well. Recent television shows such as "Baby Reindeer" explore the disturbing real-life experience of comedian Richard Gadd. In this experience, he faced nightmares that lasted three years, where a cyberstalker bombarded him with 41,000 emails and numerous voicemails, and even infiltrated his personal life and targeted his friends and family.

Tips on what to do:

  1. Immediately report any incidents of cyberstalking to local police and online platforms.
  2. Keep detailed records of all interactions and evidence of stalking.
  3. Increase privacy settings on social media and other online accounts to restrict the stalker's access to personal information.

 

Doxxing

Doxxing is a revenge tactic in which hackers break into your device and collect your personal and private information to publish it publicly on the internet. It is a form of online harassment designed to violate your sense of security and cause you panic, provoke you into acting aggressively, or shut yourself down. Doxxing can lead to harassment, identity theft, and physical danger at a personal level for the victim.

Tips on what to do:

  1. Report the doxxing incident to the platform on which the information was published and request its removal. If you live in the European Union or Argentina, the "Right to be Forgotten" allows you to submit a request to a search engine to remove search results related to you.
  2. Change and secure your online passwords, and it may be a good idea to use two-factor authentication.
  3. Consider using tools that keep your information safe from hackers. The NordLocker app allows you to store sensitive files and photos in an encrypted online vault with an ultra-secure password.