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My heart goes out to you. Bullies are insecure cowards. Many bullies are also extremely ignorant, they don't realize that they are responsible for what they say on the internet. Simply hiding behind a computer is not going to protect them.
Remember what Donald Trump said, "It is going to be my pleasure to take take some money out of her big fat wallet. I am going to sue"
Use law to protect yourself.
Unfortunately, the law is a big fat grey area here. I don't take the threats to myself seriously because, frankly, they're crazy people. Lots of people with handles like CrabsMcGhee or Bawls123 like to spew hate online, targeting anyone they don't like with halfassed (but still scary in the moment) threats. I'm on speed dial with legal counsel and the chief of police at my institution - if there were legal ways to put a halt to the harassment that comes with ever PR dust-up, we would take it. Those don't exist.
What is particularly frightening to me is the cultural need to nail someone, anyone to the wall. That's what motivates people to not only violently act out against people who say and think differently than them, but also to go after anyone who may be in any way affiliated with that person. Even if you're a brat online, why should your workplace, school, parents, friends, or anyone who says, "Hey, you can disagree with this person but how about you chill it with the threats and slurs?" have to worry about personal information being spread and harassment?
My parents, who are pretty websavvy, still can't understand why I get personal hate messages and threats because of my job - my job is not political, high powered, or even particularly well paid. But because I can be found as a contact name on my institution's website, I'm fair game. And it's ridiculous.
That's the world we live in. I've come to EXPECT that. And we don't know how this is all going to end. 10 years ago, this would be unbelievable. 20 years ago, it was completely unthinkable. People need to be careful with what they say on social media, but it doesn't take much to incur the wrath of a whole lot of crazy. And even if most of the threats are just the words of a deskchair warrior, the scariest part is not knowing if one of those people is actually crazy enough to act.
My lawyer advised me to Keep evidence of cyberbullying. Record the dates, times, and descriptions of instances when cyberbullying has occurred. Save and print screenshots. Use this evidence to report cyberbullying to web and cell phone service providers. (I have a web business, so I need to be very careful)
Some states consider other forms of cyberbullying criminal. Not sure everybody can sue cyber bullies for loss and damages, but a letter from an attorney can make cyberbullying stop quicker than ever.
I have not received any threats or anything like that. If that happens, I think my first step is going to my attorney and see what he has to say. It certainly is not easy. Take care and hope everything works out.
They may have or may have not. Nobody can say with any certainty.
This much, however, I CAN say... She has CHOSEN to expose herself to, and in fact, seek out said "hate" and "stalking".
Like going to the largest crowd repeatedly that you can find, grabbing the mike and going on and on about something that irritates a lot of people, you will eventually find people who will talk back. You can, of course, not go back and thus, the supposed problem is then gone. When you keep going back and arguing with them... Then the problem becomes you, not them.
On the other hand, if the stalkers are like the Palin stalkers, who hack emails, travel to where they they live and even attempt to break into their homes... different story. There's no excuse for that. Ever.
I know all about stalkers. My wife and I have been the victims of one and for no good reason.
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