Only a handful of countries have legislation on cyberstalking – Australia, India, the UK, and Poland, as well as a few US states – even though it is becoming a common crime on the internet, with severe consequences in real life.

In the UK, the Malicious Communications Act 1998 classifies cyberstalking as a crime, and in Australia, the Stalking Amendment Act of 1999 includes the use of any form of technology for the purpose of harassing a particular victim.

In the US, explains Alexsander Carvalho, a lawyer expert in digital law, the first such law was introduced in 1999 in California, and soon other states added definitions of cyberstalking to their legislation. There is also the federal anti-cyberstalking law, known as the Violence Against Women Act.

Full article at Cybernews’ website. Date of publication: 20/05/2021.