While the many forms of new media are very helpful and have positive effects on society, there are dangers that come along with them. One of the biggest dangers, I think, is cyber-stalking. It’s pretty scary to think that this actually happens. I think cyber-stalking is one of the biggest dangers of new media because it can start out just talking to someone on the internet through social media or cyber-dating. It can also start through “sexting”. You can be talking to someone on the internet who seems like a nice person but if you haven’t met them in person you really don’t know who they are. They can become obsessed with you through what they see on the internet, or what you send to them. People have ways of finding out information about you that you may have never given them personally, like your phone number or where you live. This can happen if you put that information on your Facebook or twitter, or if you have your location services turned on on your cell phone. In Los Angeles, California a woman accepted a friend request of someone she did not know on Facebook and he wound up stalking her through her posts; “If she posted she'd be attending a party, Becky says Pashayan would show up.” I don’t think cyber-stalking is something that can be solved and totally eliminated. However, I do think there are steps people can take to help prevent it from happening to them. The article I mentioned earlier, it listed some things you can do: don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know, be cautious about what you put on your social media sites, limit who can see your profile, block people who are bothering you. You can also turn off your location services on your phone and not put your personal information like your phone number, city, and address on media sites, and don’t talk to people you don’t know. Another thing to keep in mind: People on social media do not need to know everywhere you go.
Works Cited
Silva, Gina. "Facebook Cyberstalking: The Dark Side Of Social Media." - Los Angeles Local News. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. <http://www.myfoxla.com/story/24044124/facebook-cyberstalking-the-dark-side-of-social-media>.
Courtney, I agree with what you said about cyber-stalking being a potential danger to those who use new media. However, if you’re pretty cautious about it; chances are that you will not be a victim of cyber-stalking. Like you said, if a person doesn’t give out too much personal information; they have a lesser chance of being cyber-stalked themselves. One thing that wasn’t mentioned in the blog was a certain population that might be more at risk for cyber-stalking; and that seems to be teenagers who don’t realize the dangers of giving out personal information. They might think that it’s next to impossible for them to become a victim until it’s too late. Elderly people that are unaware of a possible scam might also be a group that’s at risk. I thought it was good how you provided tips on how to avoid being cyber-stalked.
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