Digital Stalking

National Centre for Cyberstalking Research

2013

Cyberstalking

Cyberstalking is generally considered to be harassment that originates online, however it is also recognised that other forms of pre-existing stalking can transfer into online environments

Occurrence of Cyberstalking

Cyberstalking can be said to occur when there has been persistent and frequent unwanted contact from another individual/s

The behaviour in question has caused fear and distress.

Types of attack

• Identity theft – controlling victim’s credentials• Posting false profiles• Posing as the victim and attacking others• Discrediting in online communities• Discrediting victim in workplace• Direct threats through email/instant messaging• Constructing websites targeting the victim• Transferring attack to victim’s relatives• Use of the victim’s image • Provoking others to attack the victim• Following the victim in cyberspace

Prevalence of Problem

2.1 million across the UK 1.2 million females 0.9 million males

Number of male victims is growing

How Aggressors Obtain Information?

Digital Footprints Personal information Financial information Internet usage Details of friends and family Daily activities Work Location and much more

Social Networking Sites Facebook Twitter

Geo-Location

“Foursquare” app Discover where your friends are

“Girls Around Me” app- banned by Foursquare Merging Facebook and Foursquare information with Google

Maps and real-time GPS location data Tells where nearby women are; allows to see their full name,

photos, and send them messages

Facebook Check-in where you are Add people you are with Add date

Risks

Physical danger Identity theft Obtaining contact information Accounts takeover Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Observation and Understanding The ECHO Study - Electronic Communication Harassment Observation

Commissioned by the Network for Surviving Stalking

Pilot study commenced in September 2010

Analysis of the survey to be published in May 2011

New extended study launched and will run for one year

Observation and Understanding The ECHO Study - Electronic Communication Harassment Observation

The results indicated that 22.8% of cases (25.9% for males, 21.4% females) report that their harasser was a stranger

27.9% (21.2% males, 31.3% females) say the harasser was someone they dated/were married to

Transmission to other Environments

The more fixated an individual is, the more likely they are to move from one online environment to another until the target’s online presence is fully intruded upon

Transmission to other Environments

73.55% of cases reported 2 or more mediums of harassment and 57.7% of cases reported that they had been harassed through more than 2 mediums (Phone calls, texts, e-mail, social networking sites, instant messages and physical environment)

The Psychological ImpactPost Traumatic Stress Disorder

32.7% of respondents who reported experiencing harassment indicate symptoms of PTSD according to the clinical questionnaire. Respondents indicating PTSD were more likely to report more changes to their lives due to the harassment

50 % of people experiencing harassment electronically and physically (combined stalking) experience PTSD

Types of TraumasCyberstalking victims 32.7%

Combined stalking victims

50%

Sexual assault 22-

50%Aid workers 30-50%

Combat veterans 22-50%

Bomb survivors 50%

Air crash survivors 22 - 40%

RTA survivors 11%

Effectiveness of services and other interventions

53.4%(47.7% males, 54.9% females) reported their problem to some authority

10.8% (10.2% for Males, 11.3% for females) of the cases reported ended due to legal intervention (by police or Solicitors)

37.2% of harassed people (27.3% of Males, 40.7% of Females) received some form of help to cope with the harassment.

How to Protect Yourself?

Assess what online information exists about you Change your e-mail and passwords for key

online accounts and keep them safe Review all the privacy and security settings Avoid public forums Limit what you share Educate friends, family and work colleagues Gather evidence Report to police Seek help and support for the charities

Cyberstalking Forensics

The majority of evidence is gathered from the victims immediate physical vicinity

Cyberstalking Monitor applications can record and transmit interactions between offender & victim simultaneously to law enforcement officers

Event log files from ISPs, Telecoms, employer network systems, etc., can correlate offender communications

Existing technologies can assist with attribution & prosecution of offenders such as CCTV, GPS, etc.

 

Bringing Cyberstalking ‘Out of the Shadows’

The problem is multidisciplinary and requires a multidisciplinary approach

More research is required to understand the problem

Initial indications are that the behaviours and composition of the online stalking population differ significantly from traditional stalking – opening diverse lines of enquiry for research and the development of effective interventions

Legal Change

The Internet is a conduit through which an increasing amount of interaction with society is conducted.  The impact on an individual of such communications is significantly greater than it was 10 years ago.

Facebook, which now has over 600 million users (10% of the world's population), was only launched in 2004! 

Legal Change

In recent years we have seen changes to legislation that recognise the impact of technology on society and the ease with which criminal offences can be committed.

  Most notably, the Police and Justice Act of 2006

amended the Computer Misuse Act of 1990. One change was the length of maximum jail sentence.

Legal Change

Malicious Communications Act of 1988 amended by the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 - ensure electronic communications were covered. 

However, there should be reconsideration of whether the punishment currently legislated is sufficient.   

Legal Change

Protection From Harassment Act 1997 - does not explicitly state electronic communications. 

A clear statement of electronic communications would assist investigating police officers in seizing evidence in cases of Cyberstalking.

  Current lack of power to seize evidence, and this

only exacerbates the problem of attribution. 

Law Change

Amendments have been made to the Protection of Freedoms Bill making stalking a specific offence in England and Wales.

One of the amendments includes the ability for Police to have access to the use of the internet, email or any other form of electronic communication associated with stalking.

The commencement order for the new law was 25th November 2012