Tag Archives: stalking

April 3, 2012

Creepy “Girls Around Me” app

By mensantiviolencecouncil

One of our most popular and engaging workshops through MAC is the one about how technologies are exploited to stalk and harass people. Audiences are often unnerved by how software and hardware is used to gather information that is then used to monitor, locate, harass, impersonate, or intimidate them.

A recent article by John Brownlee at Cult of Mac explores a similarly creepy app called Girls Around Me. At the time of this post, the app had been pulled from the iOS app store, but it doesn’t mean it or something like it won’t come back. The app highlights security and privacy concerns inherent in some of the ways that personal information is disclosed through apps and social networking.

On the surface, the app is sleazy and creepy looking. It is designed with silhouettes of naked women on a radar screen, as if they are targets. It evens advertises that you should consider this public information an invitation to approach these women for sex or worse. “In the mood for love, or just after a one-night stand? Girls Around Me puts you in control.” The app plots public information from profiles on Facebook and Foursquare on a map so that you can see who has checked in near your current location. It also allows you to browse the profiles, check pictures, and message the individual. The design of the app and the stated purpose, again, is creepy unless you are the person “in control.”

However, Brownlee correctly highlights the fact that the app is accessing data that is considered public, whether or not the user understands the privacy settings or how the information is being used.  The best part about the app is it is another example of why we should educate people about how their data is used so that they can make purposeful decisions about what they share. If anything, this is a creepy enough example to get people to pay attention. 

At the end of every technology and stalking workshop, there is a line of people who want assistance in putting a numeric or visual password on their mobile device(s). Hopefully, we can use examples like this to educate people about how their information is distributed and accessed, as well as ways in which they can take steps to remain safe.

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in anti-violence, education, technology

February 28, 2012

Stalkers just get to resign?

By mensantiviolencecouncil

Maybe it’s just me, but if you admit to a local newspaper that you harassed and stalked someone, you probably should receive a stiffer punishment than resigning. Last week, Florida Democratic Rep. Richard Steinberg admitted to harassing/stalking a female federal prosecutor through dozens of text messages. Why did he have the luxury of choosing to resign? Why was that even an option? If an elected official admits to stalking someone, they should be fired and charged with a crime. I wish all stalking and harassment victims had the Secret Service at their disposal to identify their harassers.

The best part? Last week, Steinberg cast a vote to expand the definition of ‘aggravated stalking’ to include threats (and implied threats) made via electronic messages (e.g., texts, emails) and classify that action as a third-degree felony with a five-year maximum prison sentence. However, I doubt that Steinberg will ever see the inside of a prison cell.

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February 12, 2012

Weekend Roundup

By mensantiviolencecouncil

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January 26, 2012

January is stalking awareness month

By mensantiviolencecouncil

Check out this great stalking awareness campaign called Stalking: Know It. Name It. Stop It. Not only do they have promotional materials to raise awareness about stalking, there are also numerous resources related to safety planning, outreach materials, and information specific to responders like law enforcement and prosecutors.

Last year, the Men’s Anti-Violence Council developed a workshop about commonly exploited technology used to stalk and harass individuals. It has been extremely popular and we have presented it at numerous conferences and workshops. We’ll be presenting it next month at The Big Ten Counseling Center conference regarding how this topic relates to counseling centers and college students. Stay tuned for when we upload the Power Point from that presentation.

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December 18, 2011

Federal judge ruled that “You have a constitutional right to stalk and harass people on Twitter.”

By mensantiviolencecouncil

From 2008 to 2010, William Cassidy harassed Alyce Zeoli through Twitter sending her over 8,000 tweets. He criticized her looks, made fun of her religion, described graphic ways in which she could die, and repeatedly told her to commit suicide. Zeoli blocked his accounts but Cassidy just created another one. In 2010, Zeoli reported the harassment and the FBI pressed charges against Cassidy for stalking Zeoli and  causing her “substantial emotional distress.”

However, this week federal judge Roger W. Titus, dismissed the case stating, “while Mr. Cassidy’s speech may have inflicted substantial emotional distress, the government’s indictment here is directed squarely at protected speech: anonymous, uncomfortable Internet speech addressing religious matters.” Apparently Judge Titus doesn’t really understand what  Twitter is. He compared it to a colonial bulletin board where if you didn’t like something, you don’t read it. News flash Judge Titus, Twitter is no different from a text message, email, or phone call. It is direct contact through electronic means with another individual. Just telling someone to “ignore it, turn it off, or don’t look it” is about as good as telling a stalking victim to just block the phone number, quit their job, or simply ignore the animal head left in a box on the front porch. The message this sends to victims is ridiculously callous, “If you don’t like it, too bad, just ignore it.”

However, there was some protection from harassment and stalking enforced this week. A judge in Minnesota ordered a man to take down his “revenge” blog about his ex-girlfriend because individuals have a “right to be free from harassment”and instated a 50 year restraining order! But wait, isn’t a blog is like a colonial bulletin board? No, no it’s not.

Anyone in a position of enforcing or creating rules/laws/policies about harassment, stalking, bullying, or any other inappropriate conduct through electronic/Internet/technological means should have a basic understanding of what the Internet is and how social media services on it function. People should be protected from those who intimidate, threaten, harass, monitor, record, impersonate, and stalk them regardless of the method.

3 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in bullying, court cases, cyberbullying, stalking, technology

July 28, 2011

Prison sentence for Facebook and email stalking/harassment

By mensantiviolencecouncil

George Bronk just received a four year prison sentence for stalking and harassing women through Facebook and email. George would search Facebook profiles for information to assist him in hijacking email accounts to search for nude or provocative pictures. George would then distribute the pictures to everyone on their contact list and in some cases, blackmail the women to gain additional pictures. When contacted by a victim about why he was doing this, George responded, “Because it’s funny.”

George plead guilty in January to computer intrusion, false impersonation and possession of child pornography. He received four years in state prison for the Facebook and email charges and an additional eight months for the child pornography charges, which requires him to register as a sex offender. 46 women across 17 states came forward in this case as recipients of his illegal behaviors.

This case highlights the importance of taking online precautions but also being aware of security measures. You can create a formidable password, but pay attention to password recovery options. If the information needed to answer generic password recovery questions is available online throughout your social networks, it creates vulnerabilities. A lot of people may know where you went to grade school or your mother’s maiden name. This case also highlights the significance of electronic and Internet-based stalking and harassment. Numerous victims I have worked with dismiss the behaviors because they are afraid no one will take them seriously. “It’s just emails and text messages or comments on Facebook,” is something I hear frequently. 47 states have electronic and Internet-based language in their stalking and harassment laws. It doesn’t matter the means. These behaviors are illegal whether they happen in person or online. Cases like this set a precedent for future prosecution.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in court cases, cyberbullying, prison, stalking, technology

March 12, 2011

Virgin Mobile cell phone stalking commercials

By mensantiviolencecouncil

I know, I know, “Who cares, it’s just a commercial? Lighten up.” Skip it. Virgin Mobile created some creepy, unhealthy and illegal depictions about how their cell phone technology can be utilized to stalk and harass someone. Over 1 in 4 victims of stalking are harassed or monitored with technology. For those of you interested in learning more, MAC offers a Technology and Stalking workshop focused on awareness raising, prevention, and safety planning.

1 comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in advertising, commercials, stalking, technology

November 15, 2010

Posting nude photo (and death threats) results in jail time

By mensantiviolencecouncil

Joshua Ashby made New Zealand history this week. He became the first New Zealander to be convicted of a crime committed on the Internet under the country’s morality and decency laws. After a five month relationship ended, Ashby became violent and threatened the life of his former partner. He sent her text messages like “I’m going to kill you” and “Dead bitch.” He stole and destroyed some of her clothes. He also gained access to her Facebook account, replaced her profile picture with a nude picture of her, changed her password so that she could not remove it and removed all privacy settings so that it was visible by anyone.

Although the morality and decency laws were in regards to print media, the judge stated that the outdated laws needed updated to account for newer technology. Ashby plead guilty to all counts and received 4 months in prison. When he tried to cover up his face to prevent his picture from being taken the judge allowed it by humorously responding, “There was a certain symmetry to it.” I agree.

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in court cases, international, stalking, technology, violence

November 1, 2010

Two years of cyberstalking

By mensantiviolencecouncil

The Telegraph recently ran a story about television presenter, Alexis Bowater, who was “cyberstalked” for over two years. Alexander Reeve sent Alexis over 50 violent and sexual emails, many of which threatened her life and included threats that were graphic and sexual. He claimed that she would be found hanged and phoned in bomb threats to the studio where Alexis worked. Reeve was found guilty and sentenced to four years in prison. The article highlights a statistics that I had never seen before. As quoted in the article, Alexis states that 77% of stalking victims wait until 100 incidents have occurred before they contact the police.

The article does a good job of highlighting the constant stress, worry, terror and helplessness that many victims of stalking experience, which can often be exacerbated when technology and anonymity are involved.

“There are things that I was made to think that are kept in some quiet place in my soul because when somebody is telling you they’re going to do all these things you do believe them and live with it every day and night.”

“You don’t know what they (stalkers) look like, how old they are, what gender, whether they are doing it from nearby or abroad, if they are your next door neighbour, or someone in your office. You have no idea and that is terrifying.”

Click on the image below to see a video of Alexis describing her stalking and recent changes in British harassment laws.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in anti-violence, international, Media, stalking, technology, violence

September 7, 2010

U be dead

By mensantiviolencecouncil

U be dead is the title of a made for TV movie for ITV1 in Britain that chronicles the real life stalking case of Debbie Pemberton and Jan Falkowski by Maria Marchese. You can find a first hand account of the incident here. I’m going to post some quotes and details about the intensity, relentlessness and terrifying nature of the stalking below. Debbie and Jan suffered through this torture for 5 years and went to extreme lengths to escape their stalker.

  • As I scanned the words of my latest text, my hands trembled. “You will burn in your wedding dress,” it read. I was terrified. If I’d known then that would be the first of thousands, I don’t think I could have gone on.
  • I was receiving up to 10 threats a day. One said: “A bullet waiting for U. Gunman paid”, and another simply said: “U B Dead.” I became increasingly suspicious and paranoid, questioning the motives of everyone I met, from the stranger sitting next to me on the train to the person who pushed past me in the street.
  • We returned to the boat after a night out in the pub. Jan stepped in ahead of me, then shouted: “Get back!” The gas taps had been turned on. If we’d been out for much longer, the boat would have exploded the moment we turned on a light.
  • I didn’t even feel safe in my own home. Police traced calls and texts to phone boxes nearby, even to the station where I caught the train every morning – some had phones with keyboards where you could send texts to mobiles – this person knew our daily routines, where we lived and how I got to work for my job as a financial analyst.
  • A woman constantly bombarded my work department with calls, abusing my colleagues if they didn’t put her through. She even called the chief executive, saying I’d leaked sensitive information to the press.
  • I jumped if my phone beeped, terrified what was coming next. I could only doze for a couple of hours a night. My skin broke out in eczema and I lost a stone in weight.
  • We decided to move to a ‘safe house.’ We told no one our new address – not even our friends or family. I’d switch my phone off at night, trying to escape. But every morning, a flurry of hate messages would flood my inbox.
  • Our wedding was being destroyed by our stalker. I had to use a password when I spoke to the wedding venue, because our stalker had tried to cancel the booking four times. When that failed, she’d sent a text saying that she’d poison our guests.
  • I even considered killing myself, ending it all just so I’d be free.

Click Read More to find out what happened…

Continue reading

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in anti-violence, court cases, education, international, Media, stalking

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