Study shows 23% of online daters encounter cyber harassment
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Up to 23 per cent of online daters, particularly women, encounter cyberstalking from someone they are newly dating, according to a study commissioned by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.
The research involving 21,000 participants globally shows more than 90 per cent of respondents are willing to share passwords with their love interests, which could potentially compromise their location privacy.
The survey shows
- About 34 per cent of people think it is okay to Google or check social media about their potential dating, and 41 per cent admitted doing so.
- Online daters face risks like stalking and privacy issues, especially on Valentine’s Day.
- Despite the challenges, online daters are taking steps to protect themselves in the pursuit of love.
Cyberstalking is the use of the internet and other technologies to harass or stalk another person.
Cyberstalking is a significant problem in Nigeria despite the Cybercrime Act 2015 which criminalises the practice.
Penalties in the Act include imprisonment for up to three years and fines of not more than N7 million, depending on the severity of the offence.
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Divers forms of online abuse
The survey equally reveals
- Diverse forms of abuse, with 39 per cent of respondents experiencing violence or abuse from a current or past partner.
- These include
16 per cent receive unwanted emails or messages
13 per cent filmed or photographed without consent
10 per cent have their location tracked
10 per cent face hacked social media or email accounts
7 per cent have stalkerware installed on their devices without permission.
- More females (42 per cent) than males (36 per cent) among the respondents reported experiencing violence or abuse.
- A higher proportion of those currently dating (48 per cent) face violence or abuse compared to those in long-term relationships (37 per cent).
- 34 per cent express concern about online stalking, with slightly more females (36 per cent) being worried compared to males (31 per cent).
Kaspersky Principal Security Researcher David Emm said the Internet of Things (IoT) or connected world is brilliant and offers a myriad of possibilities, but with opportunity comes threats.
“Whilst the blame for these horrific behaviours never lies with stalking victims, unfortunately, there is still a burden upon them to take steps to minimise risks,” he stressed.
“I think it’s great that people are taking steps to verify identities online, but would encourage people to just stop and do a quick sense check on any information, passwords, or data they share, to just think through how that information could be used in nefarious hands.”
