The use of technology to stalk victims is known as cyberstalking. Considering that it shares certain characteristics with real-life stalking, it is a misconception that this has less harmful effects on its victims. On the contrary, it’s just as pervasive and intrusive as real-life stalking considering that the unsolicited attention may escalate to threatening messages. Even more disturbing is the fact that its use for surveillance and pursuit provides the perfect means of disguising the stalkers identity. Technologically savvy stalkers may use spyware to access private information of their victims or use the internet may be used to impersonate them.
In the Philippines, there is no law punishing stalking as a crime despite its deleterious effects on its victims. While we have statutes punishing certain behavior similar to stalking (i.e. unjust vexation, VAWC), they contain particular requirements that do not apply to the more common cases of stalking. What more when the stalking is done through the use of technology which makes everyone more accessible to others? With the constant progress in the field of technology, it becomes more important for governments to provide legislation that will protect its citizens from those who choose to misuse and abuse such advancements.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Hi Cat! Your entry on cyber-stalking reminded me of this news article I had read during the Christmas break - URL of the news article provided here (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,356464,00.html). The article is about the passing of a law criminalizing cyber-harassment by the state of Missouri, in response to a teen's suicide over a prank played on her by her neighbor. I'm not sure if Missouri already has existing laws that punish stalking (the actual kind), but if they do, then it's admirable that they want to punish the same acts committed through different media, especially electronic. In our jurisdiction though, I think it’s difficult to criminalize cyber-stalking considering that we don’t have laws criminalizing stalking per se, regardless of the relationship between the offender and the victim, like you’ve mentioned. But I do agree with you that our legislature has to enact laws that are relevant for our time, and that they have to do so in a responsive and timely manner. Then again, looking at the people who make up our legislature, I am having serious doubts about their ability to even access their own emails or use programs like MSN or Yahoo messenger.
Post a Comment