Abstract

The fast pace of development in digital technology has changed how we connect, communicate and engage in bad behaviour (e.g. cyberstalking, online harassment) worldwide. While online abuse depends on the accessibility and anonymity of the internet, it is also behaviour that can pose impacts on victims that can have dire implications for them (e.g. emotional damage, harm to reputation, and harmful effects on the victim's security). There are many forms of online harassment - doxxing, trolling, impersonation, threats, blackmail, and bullying - that are all targeted to elicit fear or control someone. Cyberstalking is a specific type of harassment that can involve obsessive monitoring and sending numerous messages, or spreading false information to cause harm. Cyberstalking, unlike online harassment, is often carried out repetitively or in a systematic manner, which raises it to the level of a serious concern. The psychological and social consequences of cyberstalking are extensive and serious. Victims of cyberstalking experience a gamut of feelings including anxiety, stress, fear, loss of their privacy, and if applicable, loss of professional status. In terms of legal reform, many countries have laws protecting against cybercrimes, including cybercrime laws, privacy laws, and defamation laws. In India, cyberstalking is punishable under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Indian Penal Code (IPC), allowing the victims of cyberstalking to have some means of protection. Individuals have the power to mitigate their own behaviour online to limit personal risk and improve their online security, limit what they share, report and block everyone who harasses them, and secure evidence for potential prosecution. Victims of cybercrime can seek justice through governments official cybercrime reporting portals and law enforcement officers, as well as attorneys. Individuals can also contribute to creating a safer digital environment through education and awareness raising activities. As online threats evolve and become more complex, the implications will be ongoing and new laws, tech responses, and community initiatives will be ongoing. Governments, technology and online communities need to work together to address online security, improve filtering content, and raise the public's understanding of responsible digital behaviour. If we have solid and reliable legal protections in place, technology evolves and develops, and the community has a working knowledge of issues through public initiatives social acts, then the public can address issues of online harassment and cyber stalking at the same time, and the community can enjoy safer digital spaces.

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