[This post is pinned because it involves serious topics]

If you are actively cyberstalking someone, or thinking about it… stop it right now. You don’t have to agree with what someone says. There’s a reason you should be grateful you have the ability to ignore accounts and block them. But, however, what crosses the line is when you become SO obsessed with causing pain and suffering to a specific user on social media to the point you start commenting on all of their posts with bullshit like “Dyscalculia is fake” and then proceeding to create 40 - 50 plus multiple alt accounts to not only evade account suspensions but to also get around blocks to continue your torment and harassment.

This is not trolling at this point; it’s actually crossing the line into criminal territory because you are engaging in what is known as cyberstalking. Going around just to comment on a certain user’s posts just to harass and bully them for a stupid reason is absolutely weirdo behavior and it is creepy as hell because you’ve become so ungodly obsessed with them to the point where all you think about is the user in question. Spamming the same thing on multiple accounts and repeatedly harassing the same user on all of them is exactly what happens for you to end up getting actual state-wide and federal charges for harassment this severe. It’s no different than stalking someone in real life; watching something someone does 24/7, and even illegally taking pictures of them or videotaping them without your consent. You are a very specific kind of keyboard warrior who hides behind a username tormenting people over nothing because you have absolutely zero self-control or awareness that what you’re doing is wrong. Going around constantly creating new accounts to be a pest and find your target over and over again is genuinely disturbing behavior and it makes me wonder how you behave IRL.

An attitude like this is also a great way for people to ignore your existence entirely. Constantly attempting to evade enforcement actions taken against your account as well as blocks just to continue to target this one specific user is how you lose friends, connections, and even job opportunities. Employers are not gonna wanna hire someone who stalks another person online. It is, quite simply, a great way for you to ruin your own life. It’s not a threat; it’s a warning that must be heeded. Keeping this behavior up is only gonna end up causing you to get fucked over in the longrun, and it will be no one’s fault but your own for acting like an obsessed freak. Not only that, but this could also cause a huge escalation into something much more serious and concerning. Victims of targeted cyberstalking can start showing signs of depression and anxiety that, if not addressed in a timely manner, can result in suicide. You are literally going to be risking someone else’s life over nothing that can end deadly. And even though this is online and not physical abuse, you will still end up having blood on your hands. And if that actually happens, who will be the one at fault for taking someone’s life away from them? You. It being virtual stalking will not erase the real cost of a human life; you will still be responsible for their death.

But, I know what some of you are gonna say: “b… b-but it’s not a federal crime”! Stop right there, I will inform you that it actually is considered one here in the United States. Under federal US law, cyberstalking is considered a felony under 18 U.S. Code § 2261A, which specifically prohibits the use of electronic communication to harass, intimidate, or place someone in fear. It does not explicitly state that it includes ‘cyberstalking’, but it’s worded in such a way to where it fits the criteria to be considered a felony. This breaks the law in the US, and the federal consequences for cyberstalking include up to a 5 year prison sentence and a fine of up to $250,000. Now however, the consequences inside of local areas depend on your jurisdiction, but by federal US law, it’s a felony.

Picking on someone for some stupid nonsense is bad enough, but this is taking things way too far. It stops becoming harassment and starts becoming a serious concern for someone’s safety. Imagine if you were in their shoes right now. You would rightfully fear about not being safe in your home. It’s no different than real stalking, but this just happens over the internet rather than in person. Do you know that this could make people consider you a freak? Being this obsessed over a random-ass stranger online will make people think you are a predator, and this could get your into some heap of trouble that can actually ruin your life permanently. This extends far beyond legal matters, but also moral ones as well. It not only destroys their life, but destroys yours as well.

And especially, most importantly, you are leaving behind a permanent digital footprint when you do stuff like this over the internet. The stuff you make, say, and do on the internet stay on the internet forever. Repeatedly and consistently cyberstalking some random user leaves behind a trail. It cannot be deleted; everything can be archived on websites such as the Wayback Machine. People will then see your behavior, how you act, and how you treat others. This digital footprint can be used against you in the future, and it causes severe emotional distress for everyone around you. Imagine if your parents, your friends, or even experienced people you work with discover this in the future. It will cause complications with those you love and the people you trust. Deleting will do fuck all to erase the history if it has already been archived by people. You need to watch over what you say and post, because everything that’s on the internet stays on the internet. Don’t be the reason you screw up your own life.

The consequences for this are not worth the risk of cyberstalking someone and attempting to repeatedly ‘own’ someone all for fake internet points. There are actual real-world consequences, both legally and locally. If you cyberstalk someone, you have SERIOUS issues and you need to actually go and get psychiatric help, because this is NOT healthy behavior. Only someone that has serious mental and emotional problems would go and cyberstalk people on the internet.

So, just stop. Stop the cyberstalking; stop wasting your life being this obsessed over a username on a screen. It is both dangerous for the victim on the receiving end, and the perpetrator.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.