Home › Forums › Archives › Computer Support › Online Privacy, Safety & Security › Cyber Stalking – How to put the lockdown on it!
- This topic has 16 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 18 years, 2 months ago by msnDeamon.
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March 5, 2006 at 11:38 pm #117158msnDeamonMember
Great information 😀 thanks
March 6, 2006 at 2:22 am #117157imported_TakODaMemberFrom haltabuse.org on Sun Mar 05, 2006:
Hopefully I’ll be able to give you a hand with cutting off these unwanted Instant Messages.
The most important thing you need to do right now is not respond to anything this person says. Responding only encourages them to continue bothering and harassing you. If you get a message from them, take a deep breath and walk away from the computer if you have to. Save everything that gets sent to you, but don’t respond. You’ve already made it clear to this person that you don’t want contact with them … you don’t have to repeat it. Don’t respond any more.
The simplest and most effective way to end the harassment is to configure your instant messaging program to block all users not on your buddy list. Blocking specific screen names will only work for a short period of time because the person harassing you can get around such a block by using an alias. If you block all users not on your buddy list, this can’t happen.
Another option is to get a new screen name and make sure it’s not associated with your current screen name in any way. If you do this, do not fill in the personal information for the profile, as this will just make you easy to find. If you feel you have to put something in there, either make it fake information or generic enough that you cannot be easily located.
I’m aware that you said you’ve already changed screen names. When I say that you need to create a new screen name, this means starting something over completely. Don’t have it set up with any email address already associated with your current (or past) screen names. Don’t fill in the profile with any personal information about you (it helps people search you out). Stay away from chat rooms where this person might know you hang around, at least for the next two weeks. Give him/her the impression that you’ve left permanently. Give your new identity out to people that you know and trust for now… don’t advertise your information on a website or anything.
It’s also possible that this person is someone you know and trust. You may want to think about that and consider running several screen names at once to see if one of them starts getting unwanted instant messages and filter it down that way.
Here are some instructions on how to increase your security on your Instant Messenger program:
Yahoo Messenger:
1. Click on Login, then Privacy Settings
2. Make sure “Ignore anyone who is not on my Friends list” is selected
3. Make sure the box for “Login as Invisible” is checked
4. It’s a good idea to go through all your Preferences to make sure they are what you want them to be.I’m available if you have any questions or want to provide clarification about your current situation and/or the extent of the harassment.
My Response:
Thanks for your quick reply to my report. I’ve read alot of stuff about how to respond to harrassment, and I totally agree with you on the approach that you suggest – not responding helps to discourage them from continueing with abuse and harrassment. Responding only adds fuel to the fire.
I am currently set up to block all users who are not on my friends list and to not receive communication with anyone unless I contact them first. And I always log in under invisible mode. I have also created a new Yahoo ID (not an alias associated with a previous Yahoo ID) with a profile that contains no personal information about me, not evey my sex or my age.
As for staying away from the chat room I usually frequent, that’s a hard one for me because all my friends are in one chat room. However, I can stay away for a few weeks to give the impression that I’ve left it completely for something else. After that, I can privately inform my friends of my new name and ask them to not address me directly in the room with anything that would possibly identify me as me as much as they are able, at least until I know the situation is somewhat resolved.
Thanks again for your prompt reply. It is much appreciated. Have a great week!
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