A solicitor advises on what legal action you can take
The internet is a big place where it’s easy to hide behind a wall of anonymity. This, unfortunately, makes social media stalking fairly commonplace, and it can easily happen to anyone. It can affect victims in various ways and make the person being stalked feel understandably very nervous, scared and alone. If you are being stalked or constantly harassed by someone online, here’s what can you do to make it stop before it’s too late.
According to Ben Polak, solicitor at Brandsmiths, “Cyber stalking can be defined as use of the internet to stalk/harass an individual/organisation. It is a form of cyber bullying so It is prohibited by the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 which is supplement by the Stalking Protection Act 2019.”
There we have it. It’s illegal and if it happens to you, you should contact the social media platform in which the harassment is taking place to report the cyberbully – the big social media companies have take-down procedures which enable a user to report objectionable content and ask that the offending account be suspended or the material posted removed, depending on the particular circumstances of your case.
Ben continues, “If the actions continue and the social media account does not take adequate action, you can call the National Stalking Network on 0808 802 0300 or contact the local Police if not an emergency. If an emergency, you can call 999.”
Online harassment has no place in your life. Don’t ever be concerned that something will be ‘too small’ or petty for a platform, the police or other authorities to investigate. If you’re being harassed, it needs to be stamped out. For more information about reporting a stalker take a look at www.gov.uk/report-stalker
