Cyberstalkers, like normal stalkers, come in a variety of different packages. We’ve already talked about how you can differentiate between a cyberbully and a cyberstalker. Now let’s go into more detail on how you can identify a cyberstalker on your kid’s Facebook or other social media outlet.
You might think it is tricky, weeding out a predator from your child’s crowded feed that updates by the second. But honestly, if you know what you’re looking for, this will be so easy.
The Avid Follower
Take a look at the followers list on all your kid’s social media platforms. Do they have someone who follows them everywhere apart from their friends/family? If you think there is a common unknown follower on all social media, there is a good chance it is a stalker.
Cyberstalkers keep track of their target… in this case, your kid. They will know what time your kid comes online. They’ll know what forums/message boards/chat rooms they frequent and what they talk about. They know of everything your kid has Tweeted or Instagram-ed or Pinned.
Block and delete all the unknown people from your children’s follower’s list.
The Persistent Contactors
Here’s another form of stalker-y. These are the people who would always want to contact your kid even if the conversation is one sided. The constant emails, the Facebook messages will clog your kid’s inbox. The nature of these messages? Invitation for a real life meet-up, persistently asking to send pictures, sharing inappropriate material and so forth.
Make sure your kids never reply back to them. Again, if you see something of this nature, block and delete immediately.
The Blunt Harassers
This kind is perhaps the easiest to spot. They won’t be coy. They will straight up harass and bully your kids. They will post threatening messages on their wall or bully them on other various forums. But if you see someone like this on your kid’s feed, get rid of them.
Keep an Informed Eye Out
If anything, you should take away two things from this post
- You must routinely go through your kid’s social media activity
- It’s good to do a little researching before knowing what to weed out
Some stalkers will be patient and coy, so the following and the persistent messaging may be spread over a course of weeks or months. As long as you spot them on time and make sure your child does not talk to them, you should be just fine.
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