{"id":10374,"date":"2020-03-17T08:31:02","date_gmt":"2020-03-17T08:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fastestvpn.com\/resources\/?p=10374"},"modified":"2025-05-23T14:58:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T14:58:21","slug":"cyberstalking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fastestvpn.com\/resources\/cyberstalking\/","title":{"rendered":"Cyberstalking \u2013 Here\u2019s How to Protect Yourself Online","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

Privacy is a hot topic mainly for two reasons. Firstly, big tech corporations are evidently doing little to protect it. Secondly, users are facing the repercussions of sharing their life online in the form of cyberstalking.<\/p>\n

\"Cyberstalking\"<\/p>\n

There was a time when the only way you could find details about someone was by physically stalking the person or looking up the phone directory. But that is a thing of the past now. More \u2013 and potentially more harmful \u2013 types of cyberstalking have emerged thanks to social media.<\/p>\n

The fact is that social media accounts hold so much information that someone can easily track interests, travel history, physical location, family and friends. It\u2019s not even about social media giants not doing enough to protect our privacy, but that we tend to overlook what we share with people. As a result, people know too much about us, perhaps even more than our parents of siblings.<\/p>\n

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Cyberstalking Explained<\/h2>\n

The word cyber describes the virtual world of connected computers. Cyberstalking means an obsession to gather information on a person for the purpose of causing harm. Take the example of Facebook. Someone with an interest in you \u2013 for whatever reason \u2013 will check out all your posts, your likes, your check-ins, your comments, and everything else you have made visible to the public.<\/p>\n

Cyberstalking has real-world implications beyond the common unsolicited messages. Women \u2013 especially \u2013 are no stranger to unwanted attention from strangers. Sexual harassment is not just happening in the corridors of workplaces and other places but it has victimized many online as well. Online harassment is often an extension of physical harassment.<\/p>\n

Stalkers Might Follow You Based on Your Activities<\/h3>\n

Social media conversations take place on personal space, pages or groups, or your friend\u2019s space. Imagine your friends make plans for a movie during the conversation or you reveal your plans to catch a movie, the stalker can see the information and potentially intercept you physically at the movie.<\/p>\n

It is why you must absolutely be mindful of what you share on the internet and whom you share it with.<\/p>\n

Catfishing<\/h4>\n

Catfishing means impersonating someone or assuming a fake profile on social media for the purpose of luring someone into a relationship. Regardless of the end purpose, the first step is always to gain the trust of the victim, then move forward with the nefarious purpose.<\/p>\n

In the worst case scenario, such attempts could lead to blackmail. The perpetrator could gain access to content that you might have shared in confidence.<\/p>\n

Targeted Attacks<\/h4>\n

The scale of cyberstalking goes beyond just fraud, it can be used to defame.<\/p>\n

It is very easy to make fake social media accounts. All it takes is someone willing enough to go through the process of building a convincing profile and it can then be used to defame. An account could be setup in your name with your profile picture and rudimentary personal information, and the perpetrator could start posting hate speech or explicit language through the account.<\/p>\n

Observers may not confirm your identity by looking into your content \u2013 if they do check, at all. You can become a victim of defamation that can lead to many consequences, such as disturbed personal life.<\/p>\n

Controlling Your Device<\/h4>\n

Stalkerware is a term derived from spyware which is exactly what it sounds like. It is a software that tracks everything you do on your device, such as web browsing history, calls, texts and location data. A perpetrator could even use your webcam to spy on you.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve talked about how an Evil Twin Attack<\/a><\/strong> uses a fake access point to lure you into establishing a connection. If a perpetrator is hellbent in causing you harm, it\u2019s possible he might try to carry out the said attack.<\/p>\n

How to Prevent Cyberstalking<\/h3>\n

You are in total control when it comes to your digital life; you decide the content you put up for others to see. Here are a few tips on how to stay protected against such cyber threats.<\/p>\n