Technology-Facilitated Harassment and Violence

Sending threatening or abusive emails, text/instant messages.

Example: You have recently published a paper in an academic journal about a topic deemed controversial by some groups. You are now receiving hostile or intimidating messages through the email address listed on the journal article.

Doxxing is an internet-based practice of researching and publicly broadcasting private or identifying information about an individual or organization with the intent to cause harm. It's often done as a way to target or "out" people, embarrass them, putting their safety at risk, or steal their identity.

Example: Your name and picture are posted on social media sites noting ties to a controversial group with the intent to embarass, intimidate or harass you. You are now receiving threats.

Swatting is the reporting of a false threat to police services to elicit a large emergency service response.

Example: Police attend your home in response to a false report of a hostage situation.

Revenge porn is the electronic distribution of private photos, real or falsified, without consent.

Example: As a form of retaliation, intimate photos of you are being shared with colleagues or others without your consent.

Hacking is unauthorized access and use of an individual’s computer, email, or other social media platforms.

Example: Individuals in your social and professional circle indicate that they have received offensive emails from your Laurier email that you did not send.

Trolling is posting offensive comments in order to initiate hostile or intimidating responses. Often this appears as inflammatory or off-topic messages posted in comments sections of social media posts.

Example: You are part of an academic online forum. Recently, each time you post a comment, another member responds in an inappropriate and misleading way.

Catfishing is someone using an identity online that is not their own in order to build a relationship with another person. The practice may be used for financial gain, to compromise a victim in some way, as a way to intentionally upset a victim, or for wish fulfilment.

Example: Someone you don't know contacts you through your Laurier email. After establishing a relationship they tell you about their financial hardship and you send them money. You find out this person isn't who they said they were.

Fake social media accounts are created, usually in order to post offensive or inflammatory statements to discredit someone.

A similar form of technology-facilitated harassment is known as astroturfing.

Example: Someone posts a fake Facebook profile of your club and is posting offensive, intimidating and harassing comments.

Bullying or harassing a person using electronic means.

Example: You are receiving repeated hostile, intimidating or harassing emails through your Laurier email address.

Cyberstalking is the prolonged use of technology-facilitated harassment and violence that occurs repeatedly or with regularity that usually causes fear, anxiety, humiliation, or distress.

Example: Someone you do not know makes repeated attempts through email or text asking to meet you. You ask them to stop and they continue to contact you.

The intrusion of uninvited individuals in a video-conference who enter the meeting with the intention of disrupting it.

Example: A graduate student is conducting their thesis defence over Zoom. Using the screen-share feature, an uninvited user is projecting graphic and offensive images to all participants.