Tips on How To Survive Online Harassment

In a nutshell Cyberstalking is the use of the Internet or other telecommunications to stalk or harass an individual to terrorize that individual.

It's very serious. Your actions to prevent damage and survive must be taken seriously and quickly. By the very definition of stalking as compared to the other online personal infringement, is the intent to harm. This means a whole new set of rules and steps you must take. If you are going to survive this event with your name intact you will need to form a Cyber Survival Plan.

CyberStalking or Cyberharassment Survival Plan

1. act now
2. call the police
3. get help
4. get resources on your side.

You can fight back and win

1. Act now: many people sit and wait too long. Often hoping the situation will be resolved on it's own. Or hoping to engage directly with the stalker. This takes too long. Time is the second worst enemy in this situation. It is a key element of the cyberstalker's agenda. More stalling means more time for the stalkers actions to seed more of the internet. You must act quickly. Be fast. Do it now.
2. Call the police: cyberstalking is an illegal act. You must get as many law enforcement organizations and agencies involved in your case as possible. If it helps hire a lawyer. Get representation. Do it first and do it quickly. Follow up constantly. Make sure you have and know the case contact person with the law enforcement or police station. Make sure you meet that person. Make sure that you contact that person with every new stalking situation or example of harassment. Document everything.
3. Get help: it is best in these situations to get as much help as possible. The more people that you have involved on your side the better. Often the natural instinct is to "cocoon" or shut down. Isolate yourself. You need advocates who know who you are. The real you. The more you have the better off you'll be. Friends, coworkers, colleagues, employer, past employers, any and every one that knows the "real you" can help. These people can become your cyber angels and can help you find examples and promote the real you and your efforts. These advocates will become a key part of your Cyber Survival Plan.
4. Get resources: This battle is fought online. You need online help. You are going to need online experts to help you. Either companies or individuals that can help you fight back. A family member or friend that's "good with computers" is not what you need. The number one way that stalkers ply their trade is to try and own your name and reputation online. Their whole agenda is publicity and search engine domination. Their whole agenda is to try and make certain when people look up your name they see the stalkers version of you - not the truth. This is where you build your Cyber Survival Plan. You will need to take back your name within the Internet space. This includes an active program to overcome the stalkers online agenda. Simply removing content is NOT enough. Each situation is different. Each situation brings its own set of needs and actions that are required for your specific situation. There are companies (like DMCA.com) that can help you do this but essentially you need to be proactive as well as reactive. Both monitor your reputation and enforce your reputation to make sure the story about you, that you want to tell, is actually the first result on Google search. A new Facebook page is NOT enough. You will need to do a better and more of making certain that a cyber stalkers agenda and program isn't the only one being displayed.

DMCA.com can help.

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Even though wrongful publication of personal pictures or videos happens to both men and women, we see that over 95% of the cases effect women and teenage girls.

DMCA.com's Cyberstalking of Cyberharassment Survival Guide Handbook:

Every day DMCA.com professional staff handle takedown cases for clients who have found their personal and very intimate pictures or videos, published online for all to see. Their stories and situations are heartbreaking. Their reputation has almost always been severely impacted by the publication of these deeply personal photos or videos being published on the internet. Shockingly, in most cases, these personal very intimate pictures or videos were found online by family, friends or even coworkers. To make matters worse, often the photos or videos were taken years earlier, long forgotten and long before a current marriage, relationship or employment.

In the age of powerful internet search engines and social networking it is too easy for anyone (husband, boss, clients, co-workers, parents etc.) to connect your name to recently published, intimate pictures or videos that have been uploaded onto the internet.

While we cannot stop what has already happened, we want to stop it happening to you, your family or friends. DMCA.com staff has put together a Top 10 list on how to prevent this tragedy from happening to someone you know and love.

These 10 steps have been written for women to help against online harassment.

10 Tips to Avoid Compromising Content Being Published Online

1. Do NOT take pictures (or videos) of yourself in any compromising position, especially in various stages of undress - period. It sounds obvious but remember once it's digital and, on the internet, EVERYONE can see your picture or video.
1. Note: Every device that has a camera is (somehow) connected to the internet.
2. If you do take pictures (or videos) of yourself in the nude (or in various stages of undress) do NOT send them to anyone - period. The risk is simply too high. Even if you completely trust the person.
1. What happens if their phone, or laptop or pc is stolen?
2. What happens if their email is hacked? Your picture can be shared for the whole world to see.
3. What happens when your relationship ends and this person decides to share your photos or videos with others.
3. PARENTS (guardians, uncles, aunts and grandparents) talk to your children and pre-teens, about the dangers of taking these types of pictures. What they see as innocent play can quickly be turned into something undesirable and often with tragic consequences. An innocent picture of "mom" can make it online all too easily.
1. No images or videos of your children or their friends in ANY state of undress, even jokingly is unacceptable.
2. How soon should you speak to your children about this? NOW.
1. As soon as they have or have access to a camera, a phone with a camera, or a webcam.
2. Or when they begin to play with your phone.
4. If someone takes an intimate, private, personal picture (or video) of you ask them to delete it. Make sure you see that it has been deleted. If someone has compromising pictures or video of you be firm in your request for them to delete it. Let them know you are serious about your privacy and security. Do not be intimidated. Get help if you need it. Parents, School, Police anyone with authority. In most countries the owning and distributing pictures or video of anyone "underage" is illegal.
1. If the picture(s) (or videos) was taken by a professional make certain you own the copyright - no exceptions.
2. Make sure you own/have the original memory card the photos (or videos) were taken on - or see they are deleted.
5. Friends don't let friends get photographed (or videoed) in compromising positions or in various stages of undress. Especially when partying. This is not funny. Remember everyone at the party you are at has a camera and that camera is connected to the internet.
   Gone are the days of innocently "flashing the camera".
6. Do not post or upload intimate, personal pictures or videos onto any website - period. This includes all social media and dating sites.
7. Friendships and intimate relationships are not always forever. Disgruntled friends, ex-boyfriends etc. are often the top offenders in posting undesirable images or videos. Even if you completely trust the individual you are sending the images to, what would happen if their phone, tablet, laptop or pc were stolen? What if their email account was hacked? Your images could end up in the wrong hands very quickly.
8. Many clubs and public events have photographers that walk around taking pictures and videos. Avoid them. If you do not want to find yourself posted on an internet site - DO NOT POSE for them.
1. Be clear with the photographer(s) - you do not give permission to be photographed. Where possible have a witness.
9. Don’t be conned into taking ‘pretty’ pictures for a photographer who promises to make you a star. Check the credentials of anyone you are getting into a professional arrangement with and do not sign away your rights to your images. Have a professional negotiate a contract for you.
10. Do not share videos of yourself through private messages. Many people begin to trust their online relationships only to be extorted once they have provided the extortionist with intimate materials to be used as a threat against them and their families.

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Hi, It's been a wonderful service from DMCA.com, to protect our privacy. DMCA.com services are very quick and professional and helps to protect our dignity in case of revenge porn. Regards, -S.C.

What do I do if a cyberstalker or cyberharasser has posted compromising content?

1. Don't Panic. Respond quickly. The faster the better. Be confident. Get help.
2. Contact the police - especially if:
1. You or the person in the picture or video were underage.
2. The perpetrator of this crime is known to you and you never gave permission for the pictures to be shared.
3. Note: Often the authorities can help with the perpetrators of the crime but are unable to act if the photos/videos have been uploaded to servers located outside their legal jurisdiction. Be prepared to deal with getting your pictures/videos taken down as a separate issue.
3. Do not become a victim of extortion! Do not send money or a picture of your ID to hosting companies or website owners in order to get your content removed. This is a serious act of privacy violation and not required within any takedown process, anywhere. If you must pay to have your content taken offline it is extortion or a bribe under most laws. If you must pay or follow some other bizarre process to have your content taken offline do so with a lawyer, inform the police and where possible, have an internet specialist with you. Do not pay money to anyone - do not give in to blackmail. If you pay them once they will come back again and again.
4. Find as many copies and versions as you can. You are the best person to identify this content. Often it will be cropped or altered in some way so often you can identify it the quickest. Make a list. Like a weed if you can get at the source, you can stop it from spreading. Often only one website was the source of the uploaded picture or video. It is important to get it removed from there and move on to the other sites, if there are any.
1. It's wrong to assume that once your photo or video is off one website the issue is resolved. It could have been copied and uploaded somewhere else. The longer the content has been up the more likely it has spread to other networks and websites.
5. Begin Processing (DMCA) Takedowns immediately! The faster the better. Do it now! Staying on top of getting your content taken down means you can stop or slow the spread. You can conduct takedowns yourself (DMCA.com has a very inexpensive DIY Program), use a lawyer or use a service like DMCA.com Professional Takedown Service. Regardless of the method you use, the quicker the better. Processing takedown can also help any legal action you have started or will start later. If you choose to conduct the process yourself here are a few important tips:
1. Follow the (DMCA) Takedown process of website where you have found the pictures or video exactly. If the website has its own policy follow that.
2. Do not be emotional in your description or request for removal.
3. Do not tell a story or give background or incident details.
4. Clearly the state facts related to the photo or picture usage - it's your picture, or you are in it and you did not give permission to be used in this manner or you own the copyright.

Related DMCA Takedown FAQ's

1. What is the DMCA Protected Badge
2. What is DMCA Protection
3. What is DMCA Takedowns
4. What is DMCA.com
5. What is DMCA Protected Certificate
6. What is DMCA Website Certificate
7. What is DMCA Website Status Page and Protection Certificate

see Wikipedia's definition of Cyberstalking