Insane Personal Experiences By Brett Keane
# Cyberstalkers, Cyberterrorists, and Cyberbullies: What You Need to Know
The internet has brought many benefits to our lives, but it also comes with some risks. One of these risks is cybercrime, which includes various forms of online harassment, such as cyberstalking, cyberterrorism, and cyberbullying. In this blog post, we will explain what these terms mean, how they affect people, and what you can do to prevent them.
## What is Cyberstalking?
Cyberstalking is a crime in which someone harasses or stalks a victim using electronic or digital means, such as social media, email, instant messaging, or messages posted to a discussion group or forum². Cyberstalkers take advantage of the anonymity afforded by the internet to stalk or harass their victims, sometimes without being caught, punished or even detected.
Cyberstalking can take many forms, including slander, defamation, false accusations, trolling and even outright threats². The motives of cyberstalkers may vary, but they often include the following²:
- monitor the victim's online and offline activities
- track the victim's locations and follow them online or offline
- annoy the victim
- intimidate, frighten, control or blackmail the victim
- reveal private information about the victim, a practice known as doxing
- gather more information about the victim to steal their identity or perpetrate other real-world crimes, like theft or harassment
Cyberstalking can have serious consequences for the victims, such as emotional distress, anxiety, depression, fear, isolation, loss of self-esteem, and even physical harm². Cyberstalking can also affect the victims' family or friends who may be targeted by the stalkers as well¹.
## What is Cyberterrorism?
Cyberterrorism is a form of cybercrime that involves using the internet or other digital technologies to cause harm or disruption to a person, group, organization, or nation for political or ideological purposes². Cyberterrorists may use various methods to achieve their goals, such as hacking into websites or networks, spreading malware or viruses, launching denial-of-service attacks, stealing or destroying data, sabotaging infrastructure or systems, or spreading propaganda or misinformation².
Cyberterrorism can have devastating effects on the targets and society at large. For example, cyberterrorists may disrupt essential services such as electricity, water supply, transportation, communication, health care, or banking². They may also cause panic or confusion among the public by spreading false information or rumors². Cyberterrorism can also undermine national security and sovereignty by compromising sensitive information or systems².
## What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is a form of cybercrime that involves willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices³. Cyberbullying can also be considered a type of cyberstalking when it involves persistent and unwanted contact from the bully³. Cyberbullies may use various platforms to harass their victims,
such as social media sites (e.g., Facebook), messaging apps (e.g., WhatsApp), online games (e.g., Fortnite), video-sharing sites (e.g., YouTube), blogs (e.g., Tumblr), forums (e.g., Reddit), or email⁴.
Cyberbullying can take many forms as well. Some common examples are:
- sending mean or threatening messages
- posting embarrassing or hurtful photos or videos
- spreading rumors or lies
- creating fake profiles or accounts
- excluding someone from online groups
- impersonating someone else
- hacking into someone's account
- making fun of someone's appearance,
race,
gender,
sexual orientation,
religion,
or disability
Cyberbullying can have negative impacts on the victims' mental health and well-being. Some of these impacts are:
- low self-esteem
- depression
- anxiety
- stress
- loneliness
- anger
- frustration
- suicidal thoughts or actions
Cyberbullying can also affect the victims' academic performance and social relationships. For instance,
- they may lose interest in schoolwork
- they may skip classes or drop out of school
- they may avoid social activities or interactions
- they may lose friends or trust in others
## How to Prevent Cybercrime?
There are some steps you can take to protect yourself and others from cybercrime. Here are some tips:
- Be careful about what you share online. Do not post or send anything that you would not want others to see or use against you. Do not reveal personal or sensitive information, such as your full name, address, phone number, email, passwords, bank details, or photos. Use privacy settings to control who can see your online content and activity.
- Be respectful and responsible online. Do not engage in cybercrime yourself. Do not harass, bully, threaten, or harm anyone online. Do not spread false or harmful information. Do not support or encourage cybercrime by liking, commenting, or sharing it. Report any cybercrime you witness or experience to the appropriate authorities or platforms.
- Be aware and alert online. Do not open or click on suspicious links, attachments, or pop-ups. Do not download or install anything from unknown sources. Do not respond to unsolicited messages or requests. Use antivirus software and update it regularly. Use strong and unique passwords and change them often. Use two-factor authentication when possible.
- Be supportive and empathetic online. If you know someone who is a victim of cybercrime, offer them your help and support. Listen to them and validate their feelings. Encourage them to seek professional help if needed. Help them report the cybercrime and block the perpetrators. Help them cope with the situation and recover from it.
## Conclusion
Cybercrime is a serious and growing problem that affects millions of people around the world. Cyberstalkers, cyberterrorists, and cyberbullies use the internet to harass, harm, or disrupt their targets for various reasons. Cybercrime can have severe consequences for the victims and society as a whole. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the risks and take preventive measures to protect yourself and others from cybercrime. It is also important to be respectful and responsible online and support those who are affected by cybercrime.
