Cyberstalking and Internet Safety FAQ
---FROM THE WEBSITE: http://www.sfwa.org/gateway/stalking.htm----
by Rachel R. Hartman
Special thanks to attorney Jerry D. Rhoades, Jr., Jayne A. Hitchcock of WHOA, the
Patrons of #callahans, and the women of HerDomain for their assistance with this
FAQ.
1. What do I have to protect myself against on the Internet?
Many crimes that are committed in the real world also occur on the Net. These
include fraud and embezzlement, harassment, "stealing" an identity, or stalking. A
lot of information is available about you on the Net, and an enterprising criminal
can find out a lot about you and use this information to his/her disadvantage. A
criminal could use basic information about you (discovered on the Net), and then
engage in "social engineering"--contacting your friends, co-workers, relatives,
etc.--to learn even more.Cyberstalking and Internet Safety FAQ
by Rachel R. Hartman
Special thanks to attorney Jerry D. Rhoades, Jr., Jayne A. Hitchcock of WHOA, the
Patrons of #callahans, and the women of HerDomain for their assistance with this
FAQ.
1. What do I have to protect myself against on the Internet?
Many crimes that are committed in the real world also occur on the Net. These
include fraud and embezzlement, harassment, "stealing" an identity, or stalking. A
lot of information is available about you on the Net, and an enterprising criminal
can find out a lot about you and use this information to his/her disadvantage. A
criminal could use basic information about you (discovered on the Net), and then
engage in "social engineering"--contacting your friends, co-workers, relatives,
etc.--to learn even more.
2. How can I protect myself on the Net?
Be VERY careful to whom you give personal information and where you post
information. Use a "nonsense" password that has no relation to you as a person; use
a combination of numbers, symbols, and letters and make sure it is at least 6
characters long. Change your password frequently and NEVER give it out. Try not to
keep it written down. Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.
If you are a woman, you may want to avoid usernames that are obviously female
anytime you are on the Net, depending on the net.community you are participating in.
(Your first initial and last name combine to make a good, easy to remember, and
gender-neutral user name.) This includes e-mail, IRC channels or chat rooms,
bulletin boards, etc. Learn what kind of anti-abuse procedures are in place in the
community. IRC channels usually have two or more "ops" (operators) around, who have
the power and authority to ban abusive users from the channel. If there is no op on
a channel, contact the IRCops of your IRC server; these names are given when you
first sign onto the server. Visit http://www.irchelp.org to learn more.
Check web sites that provide information about people (like Four 11, WhoWhere, etc.)
to see what information is available about you. Ask that any entries about you be
deleted or edit them to give only a P.O. Box as an address and a phone number that
isn't answered (maybe the line that gives the time and weather in town). You may
want to visit one of the meta search engines (Dogpile, Fast Search, etc.) and search
for your name as well.
Don't give out credit card numbers in a non-secure environment. If you're making a
purchase through a web site, read the company's security policy before you buy. A
secure web page will usually have a URL that begins "https" (instead of "http"), and
most browers will alert you to the fact that you are going to a secured (or
unsecured) page. No reputable merchant will ask you for your mother's maiden name
and Social Security Number "to verify that you're the card holder." If you are asked
for this information on the Net, it may be part of a scam by a thief who is looking
for gullible victims willing to hand over their wallets, credit histories, and
reputations.
3. What can I do if I am being harassed or stalked on the Net?
You should report the incident to the system administrator (aka "sysadmin") of both
your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the ISP of the stalker or harasser. Be
aware that sometimes stalkers/harassers try to conceal their tracks by forging (aka
"spoofing") their e-mail headers. If you receive abusive e-mail, you might want to
visit SpamCop. This free (with voluntary subscription) service will analyze your
unwanted e-mail to determine its point of origin, and can generate a report that
will be e-mailed to the appropriate sysadmin. You can also visit CyberSnitch to
report Internet abuse and have a report sent to the appropriate law enforcement
agency.
Check with your own ISP to learn about their abuse policy; this is usually outlined
in the customer service agreement. Generally complaints of abuse are sent to the
postmaster or the abuse department, and the addresses will be something like
"postmaster@yourisp.com" or "abuse@yourisp.com." Many ISPs use both addresses. Go to
your ISP's web site for more detailed, official information. Be sure to forward a
complete copy of the mail, including the headers, to the sysadmin. Most sysadmins
will not hesitate to cancel the account of anyone using their ISP to send abusive
mail, and will cooperate with other sysadmins to prevent future occurences. If your
sysadmin does not take your complaint seriously, that may be a good reason to change
ISPs.
For legal questions about cyberstalking, visit
http://cyber.findlaw.com/criminal/cyberstalk.html, a collection of articles on the
subject. U.S. laws on cyberstalking vary from state to state, but if you have been
threatened in e-mail, you may wish to ask an attorney about the Federal statute 18
U.S.C. 875(c). Under that statute, "transmission in interstate or foreign commerce
of a communication containing any threat to kidnap any person or any threat to
injure the person of another," is a federal felony, carrying a maximum sentence of 5
years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
4. Is "cyber-stalking" dangerous?
In and of itself, no. But it is easy to underestimate the threat that a person known
only through the Net can pose. It is rare, but "cyber-stalking" can enter the "real
world" and then it poses a threat. Cyber-stalking can in some cases take place
without your knowledge, and you may not know you have been stalked until the stalker
enters the "real world." That's why it's important to know what information is
available about you.
5. Should I be paranoid whenever I log onto the Internet?
Not necessarily, but you should be as careful as you would be when visiting a
strange city. Your best defense is learning what can be done to you, and what you
can do to prevent it.
6. How do I protect my kids?
There's a lot of "nanny" software out there, but shop carefully before you buy. Some
child-safe filters don't allow for customization, which annoys those parents who
think that they (not the software company) should decide what their children should
see or not see. Some filters are rather clumsy in blocking sites. The Society of
Friends (Quakers) web site has been blocked by at least one nanny program. A section
of NASA's web site discussing the Mars exploration program can be blocked if the
filter detects the letters "s ex" (apparently the space doesn't matter to the
filter).
Some parents prefer to use tracking software that keeps a record of every site the
child visits. Some parents forbid their children to use the Internet without direct
parental supervision. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to protecting your
children, on the Internet or in real life. Take into account your child's age,
character, and your own family's standards of acceptable behavior when planning your
defence.
Other Useful Links
Information about unwanted e-mail
Stalking information and support
WHOA (Women Halting Online Abuse)
Cyberangels
CoyoteCom
SafeTeens
Except where otherwise noted, content and design copyright © 1995–2007 by Science
Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. ("SFWA"). SFWA® and Nebula Awards® are
registered trademarks of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc.
2. How can I protect myself on the Net?
Be VERY careful to whom you give personal information and where you post
information. Use a "nonsense" password that has no relation to you as a person; use
a combination of numbers, symbols, and letters and make sure it is at least 6
characters long. Change your password frequently and NEVER give it out. Try not to
keep it written down. Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.
If you are a woman, you may want to avoid usernames that are obviously female
anytime you are on the Net, depending on the net.community you are participating in.
(Your first initial and last name combine to make a good, easy to remember, and
gender-neutral user name.) This includes e-mail, IRC channels or chat rooms,
bulletin boards, etc. Learn what kind of anti-abuse procedures are in place in the
community. IRC channels usually have two or more "ops" (operators) around, who have
the power and authority to ban abusive users from the channel. If there is no op on
a channel, contact the IRCops of your IRC server; these names are given when you
first sign onto the server. Visit http://www.irchelp.org to learn more.
Check web sites that provide information about people (like Four 11, WhoWhere, etc.)
to see what information is available about you. Ask that any entries about you be
deleted or edit them to give only a P.O. Box as an address and a phone number that
isn't answered (maybe the line that gives the time and weather in town). You may
want to visit one of the meta search engines (Dogpile, Fast Search, etc.) and search
for your name as well.
Don't give out credit card numbers in a non-secure environment. If you're making a
purchase through a web site, read the company's security policy before you buy. A
secure web page will usually have a URL that begins "https" (instead of "http"), and
most browers will alert you to the fact that you are going to a secured (or
unsecured) page. No reputable merchant will ask you for your mother's maiden name
and Social Security Number "to verify that you're the card holder." If you are asked
for this information on the Net, it may be part of a scam by a thief who is looking
for gullible victims willing to hand over their wallets, credit histories, and
reputations.
3. What can I do if I am being harassed or stalked on the Net?
You should report the incident to the system administrator (aka "sysadmin") of both
your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the ISP of the stalker or harasser. Be
aware that sometimes stalkers/harassers try to conceal their tracks by forging (aka
"spoofing") their e-mail headers. If you receive abusive e-mail, you might want to
visit SpamCop. This free (with voluntary subscription) service will analyze your
unwanted e-mail to determine its point of origin, and can generate a report that
will be e-mailed to the appropriate sysadmin. You can also visit CyberSnitch to
report Internet abuse and have a report sent to the appropriate law enforcement
agency.
Check with your own ISP to learn about their abuse policy; this is usually outlined
in the customer service agreement. Generally complaints of abuse are sent to the
postmaster or the abuse department, and the addresses will be something like
"postmaster@yourisp.com" or "abuse@yourisp.com." Many ISPs use both addresses. Go to
your ISP's web site for more detailed, official information. Be sure to forward a
complete copy of the mail, including the headers, to the sysadmin. Most sysadmins
will not hesitate to cancel the account of anyone using their ISP to send abusive
mail, and will cooperate with other sysadmins to prevent future occurences. If your
sysadmin does not take your complaint seriously, that may be a good reason to change
ISPs.
For legal questions about cyberstalking, visit
http://cyber.findlaw.com/criminal/cyberstalk.html, a collection of articles on the
subject. U.S. laws on cyberstalking vary from state to state, but if you have been
threatened in e-mail, you may wish to ask an attorney about the Federal statute 18
U.S.C. 875(c). Under that statute, "transmission in interstate or foreign commerce
of a communication containing any threat to kidnap any person or any threat to
injure the person of another," is a federal felony, carrying a maximum sentence of 5
years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
4. Is "cyber-stalking" dangerous?
In and of itself, no. But it is easy to underestimate the threat that a person known
only through the Net can pose. It is rare, but "cyber-stalking" can enter the "real
world" and then it poses a threat. Cyber-stalking can in some cases take place
without your knowledge, and you may not know you have been stalked until the stalker
enters the "real world." That's why it's important to know what information is
available about you.
5. Should I be paranoid whenever I log onto the Internet?
Not necessarily, but you should be as careful as you would be when visiting a
strange city. Your best defense is learning what can be done to you, and what you
can do to prevent it.
6. How do I protect my kids?
There's a lot of "nanny" software out there, but shop carefully before you buy. Some
child-safe filters don't allow for customization, which annoys those parents who
think that they (not the software company) should decide what their children should
see or not see. Some filters are rather clumsy in blocking sites. The Society of
Friends (Quakers) web site has been blocked by at least one nanny program. A section
of NASA's web site discussing the Mars exploration program can be blocked if the
filter detects the letters "s ex" (apparently the space doesn't matter to the
filter).
Some parents prefer to use tracking software that keeps a record of every site the
child visits. Some parents forbid their children to use the Internet without direct
parental supervision. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to protecting your
children, on the Internet or in real life. Take into account your child's age,
character, and your own family's standards of acceptable behavior when planning your
defence.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- I AM OFFERING THIS INFORMATION AS A FRIENDLY FYI & PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT,
ESPECIALLY FOR NEW MEMBERS, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT- ALTHOUGH THIS SITE IS, FOR THE
MOST PART, ALOT OF FUN AND A GREAT PLACE TO MEET SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE, IT DOES HAVE
ITS DARK SIDE; AND, CONCERNING THIS TOPIC IN PARTICULAR, MY OWN VOICE HAS REPEATEDLY
FALLEN ON DEAF EARS. I SUGGEST TO ALL OF YOU, THAT YOU CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE
POSSIBLE CONSQUENCES OF WHAT INFORMATION AND PERSONAL PHOTOS YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE
AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
----- SOME PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK THAT THIS STUFF ISNT GOING ON AROUND US, OR AT LEAST
NOT ON THIS SITE, OR THAT IT'S NOT A REAL CRIME THAT IS REPORTABLE OR
PUNISHABLE---THEY ARE VERY WRONG.I REALLY DON'T CARE IF ANY OF U REPOST THIS OR NOT,
BUT IF IT SAVES ONE PERSON FROM BECOMING A VICTIM- WOULDN'T IT BE WORTH THE 5
SECONDS IT'D TAKE TO DO SO?
-----THE MUMM I MADE ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE IN A NOT-SO-ROUNDABOUT WAY CONCERNING
WHETHER cherryTAP SHOULD CLARIFY THE TERMS OF SERVICE TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHETHER THEY
ARE GOING TO PERMIT RACISM AND HATE CRIMES AND OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY TO CONTINUE
ON THE SITE WAS MARKED AS BEING NSFW- AND WAS DELETED WITHIN 5 HOURS OF BEING
POSTED.
....AND GEE-- SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN WONDERING WHY IVE BEEN SO ANGRY LATELY...
