Top 5 Ways To Protect Yourself From Cyberstalking

It probably comes as no surprise that the way men and women experience the Internet is vastly different. Women are three times as likely as men to experience online sexual harassment. Social media gives harassers a sense of power through anonymity, and they face few consequences even if they’re reported. Cyber harassment encompasses any behavior intended to cause discomfort or harm, including threatening comments and messages, inappropriate photos, cyberstalking, doxxing, and catfishing.

In severe cases, online abuse can lead to offline violence, with women being stalked or otherwise physically threatened. Online harassment can have long-term consequences on women’s mental health, taking an emotional toll and damaging their self-esteem. It’s not always realistic to simply log off or choose not to engage, especially if you’re a public figure and your job relies on your social media presence. That’s why it’s essential to have strategies to protect yourself online.

1.) Report and Block Abusers

How effective is reporting an account? While the results may not be instantaneous, reporting a harasser only takes a minute, so it’s worth your while. If more than one person files a report, it’s likely that their account will be suspended and investigated. In the meantime, block them and any other affiliated accounts.

2.) Hide Your Location Data

Maybe you’re out at happy hour with some co-workers. You snap a photo of your cocktail and post it to your IG story, geotagging the bar you’re at. Geotagging is when your post includes the location from which it was sent. To keep yourself safe from doxing and stalking, it’s best not to use this function, or only share photos after you’ve left the location.

3.) Check Your Pictures for Identifying Data

You can accidentally give away your location even without tagging it by posting a photo with identifying data. Stalkers can analyze your pictures for clues of where you are, such as landmarks, business names, street signs, house numbers, and more. Turn off your location data for social media apps and check your pictures for data that could reveal your location before posting.

4.) Set Your Profile To Private

Control exactly who sees what by making all of your social media profiles private. This gives you the ability to choose who can follow you and see your content or personal information. By keeping your access limited to friends, families, and people you know, you’ll avoid uncomfortable exchanges with strangers creeping on your page.

5.) Reclaim Your Digital Privacy With Hush

The best way to protect your digital privacy is to use Hush. The Internet is boundless, and you may not be able to find all the places your personal information is exposed with a simple Google search. Hush is constantly searching to find, flag, and remove any sensitive data that leaves you vulnerable. Protecting information such as your name, birthday, address, email, phone number, etc. reduces your digital footprint, so that you’ll never be a victim of harassment and stalking. It’s possible to exist online safely by taking your digital privacy into your own hands, with Hush.

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