Information Society Watch

September 2000, Emma Ogilvie, Australian Institute of Criminology

This paper examines cyberstalking as an example of a crime that is simultaneously both amenable to, and resistant of, traditional forms of legislation, depending upon the way in which the possibilities of the Internet are exploited. Cyberstalking is analogous to traditional forms of stalking in that it incorporates persistent behaviours that instil apprehension and fear. However, with the advent of new technologies, traditional stalking has taken on entirely new forms through mediums such as email and the Internet. Cyberstalking dramatically signals the potential of the Internet to facilitate some types of crimes, as well as points to the interventions available that are likely to prove effective. To date, there is no empirical research to determine the incidence of cyberstalking and this is an area for future studies (Author).

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