According to UNODC, cyberstalking is the use of information and communications technology to repeatedly harass, annoy, attack, threaten, frighten, and/or verbally abuse people. Cyberstalkers can directly engage in cyberstalking by sending obscene, vulgar, and/or defamatory remarks and/or threats to the victim and/or the victim’s family, partner, and friends via email, instant messaging, calling, texting, or other electronic communications. They can also use technology to track, monitor, and follow the victim’s whereabouts.
Cyberstalking behaviors include repeatedly contacting someone by phone, email, text, messaging, or asking inappropriate inquiries; repeatedly sending, posting, or sharing unwanted sexual requests, offensive or sexual content, abusive remarks and persistently checking in on someone and attempting to get their attention even when they make it clear that they are not interested.
Cyberstalkers also use tracking devices or malware, as well as location (GPS) technology integrated into phone and app operating systems, to keep tabs on a victim’s whereabouts.
They also hack or get access to victim’s internet accounts in order to obtain their personal data, monitor their whereabouts, read their emails or messages, or alter their passwords to prevent them from accessing their own accounts.
A type of psychological abuse known as “gaslighting” takes place when someone makes someone question their sanity, memories, or reality perception.The phrase “gaslighting” originated from the 1938 play “Gas Light.”
Usually carried out over a long period of time, gaslighting makes the victim doubt the veracity of their own ideas, perceptions of reality, or recollections.Gaslighting is a coercive or manipulative method of dominating someone.
Now cyberstalkers use AI to create fake videos to upload them online. Women and girls are frequently the targets of online harassment and abuse, which can cause severe emotional distress, detrimental effects on one’s health, and occasionally even physical injury.
Artificial intelligence is used in AI cyberstalking to track, manipulate, and exploint victims, automated online activity tracking, deepfakes or fake accounts created by AI, smart use of social media algorithms, and AI-assisted impersonation through chatbots or voice cloning.
Cyberstalkers use AI-powered bots to send messages, scrape content, or annoy people. AI-driven face recognition technology is another tool used by cyberstalkers to locate individuals without their permission on social media sites, CCTV footage, or streaming platforms.
