Why is this a problem?<\/p>\n
If you don’t know the answer to this question, you probably shouldn’t\u00c2\u00a0join any social networking sites.<\/p>\n Nothing done online is 100% anonymous. Not only can the source of the effort to put it online be tracked, but also the person’s online persona (the account and global online identity of the person), as well as the physical place of the person. Once the information exists on the internet, it is available for search in one way or another, then compiled and categorized. The more information that’s out there, the more to\u00c2\u00a0gather.<\/p>\n Why is this bad? Simple: cyber-stalkers or cyber-bullies. These acts are cyber-stalking or online harassment.<\/p>\n Cyber-stalking<\/strong> is the use of the\u00c2\u00a0Internet<\/a> or other electronic means to\u00c2\u00a0stalk<\/a> or harass an individual, a group of people, or an organization. It may include false accusations, monitoring, making threats, identity theft, damage to data or equipment, soliciting\u00c2\u00a0minors for sex, or gathering information to harass. \u00c2\u00a0“Harassment” must meet the criterion that a\u00c2\u00a0reasonable person<\/a>, with the same information, would regard it as enough to cause another reasonable person distress.<\/p>\n Source: wikipedia<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The rest of this blog series will discuss how to protect your information from this kind of stalking effort, but the rest of this post will tell you what to do if you become a victim of these acts.<\/p>\n The very most important<\/strong> thing to remember is that you must not<\/strong> react. Don’t respond, don’t reply, don’t acknowledge the person at all. The people who get involved in this type of activity do it only to get a reaction out of the person, as shown by this SI.com writer when he got angry tweets about one of his columns and contacted the person<\/a>. Often times they’ll do it under a fake online alias (whether it’s a fake human’s name, or a fake screen name) so that you can’t tell who it actually is.<\/p>\n If it’s happening over a SMS, or via your mobile phone, you can use apps like Mr. Number<\/a>, CallerSmart<\/a>, or Google Hangouts<\/a> \/ Google Voice<\/a> to block the number from contacting you, and possibly report them via the service to help other users of the app.<\/p>\n As upsetting and stressful as the messages like this will be, avoiding a response\u00c2\u00a0is the most important thing to remember.<\/p>\n It is most likely that the person behind the act doesn’t even know you. Instead they have a preset collection of messages and responses and look for people online that have posted something related to the subject they have created responses for.<\/p>\n In my most recent case, I had someone come after me because my\u00c2\u00a0fianc\u00c3\u00a9e\u00c2\u00a0and I went to dinner at Uno’s Pizza. Later I found out he sent the same message to someone who’s girlfriend had a party for him at TGI Fridays. In the real world, we had no connection. Online, we fit the individual’s serial criteria.<\/p>\n Chances are, this is all taking place on a public website that you don’t have control over. If you do have control over it, then you are probably aware of how to block the person. If you’re not, contact your web host’s customer service to ask about your options.<\/p>\n Most people who get targeted aren’t their own web host, I’ll focus on them: block the person.<\/p>\n My instance described above happened on YouTube. YouTube can\u00c2\u00a0block users from sending you messages, posting on your channel, and making comments on your videos. More extreme measures might also include blocking your Subscriber list, Friends list, or even Channel from public view altogether.<\/p>\n The main thing to remember, no matter what the social site is: make sure you have taken proper measures to prevent this person from contacting you…and don’t urge the person by responding or indicating that you even received a message from them.<\/p>\n If the person\u00c2\u00a0continues to find ways around the privacy measures available from the web service, then visit the help pages to find out what their policies are on harassment and other unwanted acts.<\/p>\n For me, it took 3 separate reports, and a nasty message via Twitter to finally get results. Among the other things I did in preparation for the last day, I don’t know if it was the person, or YouTube themselves, but at the end of the day the individual’s account disappeared\u00c2\u00a0(after being active for several months with several thousand views to it).<\/p>\n If the web service is not taking the proper actions, or if the person is threatening your physical safety by disclosing personal information, making physical threats, or other types of harassment, contact the Police. According to the US-CERT webpage on dealing with cyber-bullies<\/a> the local police department or FBI branch are good places to start when reporting online harassment. If you are unsure where your local FBI office is, here is a directory of all their US locations<\/a> that you can search by providing your state or zip.<\/p>\n The most important things to remember when someone picks you as a target for their online harassment are:<\/p>\n![\"Source:](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thepizzy.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/stalking-real-life-facebook.png?resize=500%2C455\" "\\"facebook")
1.) Do NOT react. Period.<\/h2>\n
2.) It’s not personal, it’s serial.<\/h2>\n
3.) Take action on the site.<\/h2>\n
4.) If needed, report it to the web service.<\/h2>\n
5.) If it continues, report it to the police or FBI.<\/h2>\n
Recap…<\/h2>\n