What Is Cyberstalking?

Cyberstalking goes beyond cyber harassment in its persistence and surveillance component. Cyberstalkers may monitor victims' social media activity, track location data, create multiple accounts to evade blocks, and use intimate imagery as a control and intimidation tool. The federal cyberstalking statute (18 U.S.C. § 2261A) applies when conduct crosses state lines or uses electronic communications facilities. NCII is frequently used by cyberstalkers as a threat or as a control mechanism — 'I'll release these if you don't comply.' This intersection means NCII victims should evaluate whether their situation also constitutes cyberstalking.

Key facts about this term

1. Cyberstalking and NCII frequently occur together Perpetrators who use intimate imagery as a control tool often also monitor victims' online activity, track their movements, and maintain ongoing threat pressure — a combination that constitutes cyberstalking.
2. Federal law applies when communications cross state lines 18 U.S.C. § 2261A applies to cyberstalking using any facility of interstate commerce — which includes the internet and mobile phones — making it applicable in virtually all cases.
3. Safety planning is a priority alongside legal action The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, National Domestic Violence Hotline, and SPARC all offer safety planning resources specific to technology-facilitated stalking.