Explain Why Cyberstalking May Be More Commonplace Than Physical Stalking

Discuss why cyberstalking may be more commonplace than physical stalking. Which form of stalking should society fear most and why?

As the world get more and more engrossed with technology and social media cyberstalking is on the rise. People, mostly teens and young adults, have gotten so comfortable with having on online presence that they see little to no problem with sharing personal information such as photos, means of contact, and even their full names and phone numbers. The internet seems to give people an unnatural confidence towards other people. Many use the internet as a shield, especially because their actions over the web are seemingly without consequence.

There are apps and websites such as Instagram, an online site to post photos, Facebook, basically a public profile, and Kik, a messaging app, that allow people to see into others lives without more than a click or a tap. Almost every teen with a smart phone has these apps on their phones and an account on Facebook. Depending on whether or not these teenagers bother with privacy settings, anything they post can be seen by anyone. Even if they do make their accounts private, people are usually not opposed to accepting follow or friend requests from people they don't know.

Somehow talking to a person via messages appears much less intimidating than talking in person. This is a bit of a warped view seeing as the risk of talking to a stranger over the internet can be much more dangerous than interacting in a private place. Social networking can lead to and enable cyberstalking, but that is not always the case. Many people make friends online. Unfortunately this can be a hit-or-miss way of finding