if so, what did one do about it..or what would they do if they found to have one?

Not unless I've upset someone badly enough do they stalk me :?

Yeah, Deejay's my online stalker :suspect:

You wish Zepper Boy... Im teaching you the way of life :hihi:

Besides which if you get stalked in MSN ScreamingWitch the block button is a great utility :)

I know people who have had problems.. With a little bit of effort you can find out where they live and extract some revenge if they don't stop.
:)

Originally posted by neeeeeeeeeek
I know people who have had problems.. With a little bit of effort you can find out where they live and extract some revenge if they don't stop.
:)

That suggests they can find out where you live, which is even scarier :suspect: :(

Originally posted by Strix
That suggests they can find out where you live, which is even scarier :suspect: :(

In the modern world of technology you can basically find out where anyone lives which is even scarier :suspect:

Never had one myself but have been asked about how to deal with people being nuisances on occasion.

It IS possible for competent 'stalkers' to use anonymisers, multiple online identities and such to make it difficult to track them back unless you're willing to do a few things that are nowadays illegal.

The immediate advice I'd give people is to break habits as soon as it looks like someone may be 'following' you around. On boards like this get the ID changed and if possible take care with your typing to remove anything that could identify you. For example, my use of 'teh' instead of 'the' would make it easier for someone to see me in a new identity if they'd already seen me type in the past.

Change your existing passwords, just in case they've been compromised in any way. It's good practice anyway.

Don't rise to the bait and engage people in long conversations unless you have to. If you have to, save the conversations / messages in case you need future proof of harassment. Just like in face to face bullying, keep a diary of times and 'places'.

Enlist the assistance of moderators (on boards like this) and, if necessary, your ISP.

If the harassment comes via e-mail, get a techie friend to check the headers and ascertain if there's any way in which you can automatically filter the messages off to a folder. That way you don't see them BUT you again have the proof.

Avoid the temptation to retailiate in kind.

Hope this helps!

Joe

Originally posted by JoePritchard
On boards like this get the ID changed and if possible take care with your typing to remove anything that could identify you.

Sound advice Joe but on other forums they suggest you ask nicely to delete your account and register another one :suspect:

Is Geoff 'understanding' in situations like the above about changing user names etc ?

Just curious sorry :?

Originally posted by Deejay
Sound advice Joe but on other forums they suggest you ask nicely to delete your account and register another one :suspect:

Is Geoff 'understanding' in situations like the above about changing user names etc ?

Just curious sorry :?

I thought that's what I said....:D about the changing IDs.....

But yes, we've had a few people change their IDs for various reasons - soemtimes just to avoid other users, other times because they just picked a wrong name, stc.

Changing your ID on this board is the same, effectively, as deleting and re-registering.

Joe

Sorry Joe.. Understood :thumbsup:

Originally posted by JoePritchard
For example, my use of 'teh' instead of 'the' would make it easier for someone to see me in a new identity if they'd already seen me type in the past.

hmm, i'm not sure that one is unique to you Joe, its one of the most common typos

maybe we can confuse them by all making the same mistakes ;)

Originally posted by Deejay
Sorry Joe.. Understood :thumbsup:

I think I was having a 'grey' moment....it's like a 'blonde' moment for us more mature members...:)

Originally posted by moongarden
hmm, i'm not sure that one is unique to you Joe, its one of the most common typos

maybe we can confuse them by all making the same mistakes ;)

I actually had someone once on Yahoo Messenger know it was me even though I was logged in as someone else from my unique range of typing errors! The embarassment...:)

Someone asked me recently whether it was some sort of strange use of English - a bit like text message spelling. I think they were sorely disappointed when I told them that it wasn't soem sort of secret Moderator code but was due to my inability to type...:)

Yep... had a stalker of sorts who felt they should make me see the error of my ways for telling them to take their attitude and remove it from a forum I ran..

6 months of anonymised emails, visits on other forums I ran, abuse from random accounts... you name it...

Great fun... couldn't do a damned thing except ignore him and just delete accounts, emails, etc.. and not rise to it all...

Originally posted by JoePritchard
I actually had someone once on Yahoo Messenger know it was me even though I was logged in as someone else from my unique range of typing errors! The embarassment...:)

Someone asked me recently whether it was some sort of strange use of English - a bit like text message spelling. I think they were sorely disappointed when I told them that it wasn't soem sort of secret Moderator code but was due to my inability to type...:)

I have had an online stalker, and she could tell it was me in chatrooms by the way I typed! Very scary, I had changed my user names as I didn't want to stop using the rooms all together, but that didn't seem to help.

I think that usually a cooling off period seems to work, taking a break from the internet for a couple of months works a treat.

Except for Bin-laden, of course.

Originally posted by Deejay
In the modern world of technology you can basically find out where anyone lives which is even scarier :suspect:

Originally posted by neeeeeeeeeek
I know people who have had problems.. With a little bit of effort you can find out where they live and extract some revenge if they don't stop.
:)

Really :wow:

How can they do that?