What Is Cyber Harassment?

As digital spaces continue to evolve, understanding the forms of cyber harassment and how to respond to it is essential.

Cyber harassment is any form of online abuse where an individual or group targets someone with unwanted and harmful messages, behaviors, or actions intended to threaten, intimidate, or humiliate. Unlike in-person harassment, cyber harassment occurs in digital spaces, making it easier for perpetrators to reach their targets at any time and from any location. With the rise of social media and online communication platforms, cyber harassment has become quite a large issue that affects people of all ages and backgrounds. Because social media has only been around for a few decades, people can get caught up in a moment and make a mistake, not understanding the consequences of their actions. When this happens, and you have charged with bothering someone online, it is important to contact a cyber harassment lawyer near you who can look at the details of the case and fight to make sure your rights are protected. 

Defining Cyber Harassment

Cyber harassment, which is also often referred to as cyberbullying, can include a variety of online actions that are designed to distress or harm another person. It may involve repeated messages, public attacks on someone’s character, sharing of private information without consent, or posting threats. In New Jersey, cyber harassment is illegal according to N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4.1, and can lead to criminal charges or civil lawsuits.

For an act to be considered cyber harassment, it typically contains one or more of these key elements. 

• Repetition – Harassment, cyber or in person, is often repetitious, where a perpetrator will send multiple messages or carry out multiple actions, usually over a short period of time.
• Intent to Harm – Cyber harassment is meant to distress, harm, or incite fear in the victim, whether that be fear of their reputation, or fear of their physical safety.
• Use of Digital Platforms – Cyberbullying occurs across digital channels, including social media, emails, messaging apps, forums, and even online games.

Examples of Cyber Harassment

Cyber harassment can take many forms, from verbal abuse to invasions of privacy. Here are some common examples:

1. Threatening or Abusive Messages – One of the most common forms of cyber harassment involves sending threatening, abusive, or hateful messages through email, social media, or messaging apps. This could include hateful messages to a person’s inbox, posting threats of violence on a social media profile, or direct messaging an individual with messages that are meant to intimidate or provoke fear. For example: An individual receives repeated messages threatening violence from an unknown person on Instagram, if they continue to post about a particular topic.

2. Doxing – Doxing refers to the act of publicly revealing someone’s personal information, such as home address, phone number, or financial details, with malicious intent. This is particularly dangerous as it opens the victim to further harassment or even physical threats. For example: An individual criticizes a popular sports figure online, and in retaliation, someone posts their home address and phone number on a public forum, encouraging people to harass that individual.

3. Impersonation or Identity Theft – Cyber harassment can also involve impersonation, where a perpetrator creates a fake profile or account to impersonate the victim, and then spreads false information while pretending to be that person, typically with the intent to ruin that individual’s reputation. For example: A former friend creates a fake social media profile using the victim’s name and photo, posting inappropriate or inflammatory comments to harm their reputation.

4. Cyberstalking – Cyberstalking involves searching out a person’s online presence and then closely monitoring that person through the use of their online presence with the intent to control or intimidate them. It can include tracking someone’s social media posts, sending multiple unwanted messages, and tracking their online activities obsessively. For example: An ex-partner repeatedly messages someone across various platforms, “likes” all their posts, and monitors everything they do online despite being asked to stop.

5. Spreading Rumors or Defamation – Cyber harassment often involves spreading false rumors or slanderous statements about someone, typically publicly. This type of harassment is often aimed at damaging the target’s reputation, career, or personal relationships. For example: A former colleague posts false accusations about someone’s work ethic on LinkedIn, damaging their reputation in a professional network.

6. Public Shaming and Trolling – Trolling is a form of online harassment where a person intentionally provokes or insults others to incite anger or embarrassment. Public shaming involves posting humiliating or embarrassing information or images about someone in a public forum. For example: A group of students posts humiliating photos of a classmate on social media, tagging them and encouraging others to comment negatively.

Legal Consequences of Cyber Harassment

Many jurisdictions, including New Jersey, have laws against cyber harassment which are designed to protect individuals from online threats or embarrassment. Charges can range from misdemeanors to felonies depending on a number of factors, including;

• The severity of the harassment
• The age of the victim
• Whether the harassment included threats of violence. 

There are also some U.S., federal laws which address specific forms of online harassment. Because of this, it is important to be very mindful of how you act online. One rash act such as posting an intimate photo of a former boyfriend or girlfriend without their consent could lead to serious criminal charges. 

If You Are Charged With Cyber Harassment

Cyber harassment is a serious issue that has far-reaching consequences for victims. As digital spaces continue to evolve, understanding the forms of cyber harassment and how to respond to it is essential. Whether it’s through social media, messaging platforms, or online forums, recognizing cyber harassment and knowing how to address it can help individuals protect themselves from harm and hold perpetrators accountable. Taking the time to consider your actions before going through with them can protect not only an individual from unwanted harm, but also yourself from cyber harassment charges. It is important to stop to ask yourself if you would want this done to you?