Stalking

Stalking involves the repeated, unwanted following, harassment, or monitoring of a person with the intent to frighten, intimidate, or negatively impact their quality of life. In the digital age, stalking through social media and other online platforms is increasing, often restricting victims’ personal and professional freedom.

What is stalking?

Stalking includes repeated, unwanted behavior that harasses, monitors, or intimidates the targeted individual. It can occur both in real life and online.

Examples:

Relentless messages: Repeated, unwanted messages or calls that invade the victim’s privacy.
Online monitoring: Constantly checking someone’s social media activities, tracking their posts, or commenting on every photo or post.
Defamation or threats: Writing demeaning or threatening comments to frighten the individual.

What can you do about stalking?

If you are a victim of stalking, don’t hesitate to take action. Here are the steps you can follow:

Collect evidence: Save all messages, screenshots, or links to stalking content to use as proof.
Report: Immediately report the unwanted behavior to the platform. Many platforms offer tools to report stalkers and block their activities.
Secure your privacy: Block the stalker on all social networks and review your privacy settings.
Contact User Rights: If the platform fails to act, you can submit your case to us. We help enforce your rights and push the platform to take action.

Is stalking a crime?

Yes, stalking is a criminal offense in Germany under § 238 of the German Criminal Code (StGB). Anyone who persistently follows, harasses, or stalks a person can face imprisonment or fines. Particularly severe cases can result in prison sentences of up to three years.

How does User Rights help?

User Rights assists you if stalking on a social media platform is not adequately moderated. We assess whether the platform fulfilled its obligations and took appropriate measures against the stalker. Our legal evaluation helps you effectively report the incident and take further legal steps if necessary.

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