10 Tips to Avoid Cyberstalking – Safety Online

How to Avoid Cyber Stalking

You don’t want to have to delete all your social networking apps to stay safe, and neither do your kids. Instead of locking them out of the digital world, here are some tips that children of all ages (and adults too!) can use to help minimise the chances of them becoming a victim of cyberstalking, as well as how to deal with it should they be unfortunate enough to experience cyberstalking.

1. Be aware that using any and all social platforms does put you at risk for becoming a victim of cyberstalking.
2. Use a separate email address for social networking than for banking, keeping in touch with people, and any other purposes. This helps to limit spam and if for some reason your account is hacked or people find your details, they cannot contact you on your regular address.
3. Change your passwords for your email accounts and social sites often, preferably every two months or so.
4. Do not respond to private messages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or similar unless you know the person sending it. Block the sender from contacting you again.
5. If anyone makes you uncomfortable or is displaying behaviour you find suspicious on an online platform, block them from contacting you. This is easy to do an almost all social networking sites and instant messaging apps.
6. If your teen is using Tinder or Instagram, ensure they don’t reveal their phone number or surname to the public, or to an individual until after they have met them in person and know they are trustworthy.
7. Try not to post photos which reveal your exact location, such as a street sign, house number or any significant landmarks – and turn off geotagging, which automatically uploads your location. This is particularly important when posting from home, as you do not want people to be able to determine your address from photos you have posted online.
8. If you do find yourself with a stalker, do not go it alone. Make people aware. Children and teenagers should tell their parents or a trusted person such as a teacher. Normally, cyberstalking should be reported to the authorities.
9. If you are being cyberstalked, act fast. Make sure you record dates, times and content of any messages or contact your stalker has with you as well as any and all attempts to contact you or any threatening behaviour involving you (posting photos of you, trying to impersonate you, attempting to hack emails or social accounts etc). This logbook will help you if you need to press charges and get law enforcement involved
10. It is important to make it crystal clear to anybody who is repeatedly harassing or contacting you that you do not wish to be contacted by them in any way. After that, refrain from any further contact even if they continue.