A Free Educational Resource Created by Carnegie Mellon University to Empower You to Secure Your Part of Cyberspace

Cyberstalking

Using the Internet to threaten or make unwanted advances towards someone else

Cyberstalking (also called cyberharassment) is when someone uses the Internet to threaten or make unwanted advances towards someone else. This sort of harassment can cause physical, emotional, and psychological damage to the victim. Children are particularly vulnerable because of their trusting nature.

Protective Measures

Practices

  • Report cyberstalking incidents to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and your stalker’s ISP: Learn about your ISP’s abuse policy, which should be outlined in the customer service agreement. To find the ISP's email address for reporting incidents, look on their Web site. Forward them a complete copy of the threatening email, including headers. Most system administrators will not hesitate to cancel the account of anyone using their ISP to send abusive email.

  • Contact victim service professionals: For assistance, safety suggestions, and information and referrals, contact the Helpline of the National Center for Victims of Crime  at 1-800-FYI-CALL. They are open from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday.

Legal Issues

Legal

Most U.S. states have cyberstalking/harassment laws  on the books, but there is no U.S. federal cyberstalking/harassment law (except when children under 16 are involved and being targeted for sexual harassment). As a cyberstalking/harassment victim, you are often limited to civil litigation (i.e., suing the perpetrator), or reporting the stalker to his Internet Service Provider, who may cancel his account.

If you have been threatened in e-mail, Federal statute 18 U.S.C. 875(c) may be applicable. That statute states that "transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of a communication containing any threat to kidnap any person or any threat to injure the person of another" is a federal felony. FindLaw can help you find articles on the legal aspects of cyberstalking.

References

Links

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