It seems that human beings are violent animals by nature—no matter how hard they try to sell us the opposite. With new technologies, new ways of extorting, insulting, and badmouthing other people simply appear. From the moment the Internet was created, people have taken advantage of the anonymity afforded by this communication tool to do their dirty work. Digital violence is not a marginal problem in the United States, but rather a growing crime that is rarely caught by the police.
It is everywhere: social media, email, and even the most remote messaging platforms. It affects both teenagers who have just received their first smartphone as a gift and older adults who are not used to navigating the Internet.
Digital violence leaves no visible scars, but its consequences are just as serious. People who are cyberbullied or harassed end up suffering from anxiety and fear, isolating themselves from their circle of friends and family, and even suffering financial harm.
Digital violence: a chimera with a thousand heads
Digital violence takes many forms. The most widespread is online harassment, ranging from constant insults to full-blown coordinated campaigns designed to destroy someone’s reputation.
When they fail, they move on to doxxing, which involves publishing personal information about the person—such as their home address, phone number, or workplace—with the intention of inciting threats or actual attacks.
This has been around for many years (Richard Whitman did it to become Don Draper in Mad Men), but now it is easier than ever to commit identity theft. Perpetrators of this crime simply create fake profiles or hack accounts to send messages, request money, or damage the reputation of the victim they are impersonating.
Digital extortion
With the rise of artificial intelligence, extortion using intimate images has become more prevalent than ever before. Previously, this was done using real images or photos that were carefully altered by hand. Now it is easy to create a completely manipulated image using an artificial intelligence platform. This is the threat of deepfakes: fake—but very convincing—content that can be used as a weapon to blackmail or coerce the victim.
Although there is no foolproof defense, we can prevent many of these digital attacks. To do this, experts recommend strengthening your privacy settings on social media. Only your closest friends should be able to see your most intimate content. In addition, please use secure, unique, and long passwords.
The most effective step in fortifying our accounts is to enable two-step authentication. We should be wary of links or messages that come out of the blue, even when they appear to come from trusted contacts. If you have such a contact with something suspicious, it is best to keep the evidence: screenshots, emails, and URL links are essential evidence for reporting digital violence to the police.
How to prepare against online abuse
Although we have already given you the most important information, you can continue to protect your privacy by using, for example, end-to-end encrypted messaging apps. This will allow you to maintain the privacy of your communications and protect both your friends and close family members.
Another thing that is not often taken into account is the types of slow-motion devices connected to the Internet. These cameras can be easily hacked and accessed remotely, so it’s a good idea to cover the camera even when it’s not in use. To do this, you can buy a camera cover or simply use a sticker or piece of tape that can be easily removed.
We recommend that you follow the instructions for staying safe online: don’t give out all your personal information to strangers. If you are going to talk about highly sensitive political and social issues, we recommend using a pseudonym. The increase in government hyper-surveillance in countries such as the United Kingdom has shown that citizens are not safe if they express their opinions on the Internet under their own name.
In the meantime, be cautious, think before you type, and don’t click on any suspicious URLs!