The Age of the Digital Stalker
Living in the digital age has completely altered the way society learns, works, plays, and especially, interacts. As we’ve settled into this technological era, human relationships have adapted accordingly.
One aspect that the internet and social media specifically have brought upon us is the ability to dive deep into someone’s personal life without even leaving the comfort of your own home.
This capability has completely normalized and enabled acts that, if performed in the real world, could only be categorized as one thing: stalking.
Stalking, a crime in the real world, has found itself a loophole within the social realm, but does this make it any less unethical? Unhealthy behavior performed on the internet is many times joked about and taken completely unseriously. We’ve found ourselves in an odd gray area when it comes to the determination of normal internet behavior. This conduct, more often than not, passes over into toxic waters when romantic relationships come into play.
Scrolling through someone’s social account, even down to their very first post, is typically a harmless act. It’s a profile open to the public; the owner of the account chose to share this with their followers and anyone else who comes across it.
Where we start crossing undrawn lines is when it becomes obsessive. It could be your ex, your significant other’s ex, your ex’s new S/O. Even your current S/O or their acquaintances. Learning everything about them, their daily lives, and weekend ventures becomes consuming. You begin checking their social account every day, finding new ones to take a peek at. It starts with Instagram, then TikTok, sometimes X (Twitter), even as deep as VSCO or LinkedIn. You check stories, followers, following, tagged pictures, reposts, likes, etc. If the account is private or you find yourself blocked, it can be as easy as making another account.
Along with having accounts with multiple social media platforms, the majority of individuals have a personal phone number and an email as well. These accounts give people the ability to contact others through multiple mediums, whether it’s wanted or not. If you block someone on Instagram, they can message you on TikTok. If you were to block someone’s phone number, they can send you an email. It’s come to the point where you could block someone on every single point of contact you think possible, but with the technology we have available, there is always another way.
People now call with a “No Caller ID” alias, an alternative way to contact a phone number that has yours blocked. Beyond this, there are even ways to create a fake phone number from which you can call and text someone who may have you blocked. There is no true end to the amount of social media and email accounts we can make to contact another. We go to extremes to contact people who make it clear they don’t want to be contacted. While the individuals are the ones doing it, technology enables it, and society normalizes it.
It’s all so easily accessible, and the only physical action you're taking is swiping and tapping a finger. No sneaking around, no peeking through windows, no night vision goggles. Simply because it’s online, we’ve allowed ourselves to believe this behavior is okay. But it’s not. In the age of technology, refrain from being a digital stalker.
Strike Out,
Morgan Harms
Boca Raton
Morgan Harms is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. She is a Pisces mermaid with a love for the ocean. She spends her free time daydreaming, wave-watching, and blasting whatever music she’s into that day. You can reach her by email at morganjharms@gmail.com or on Instagram @morganjharms and @morganjharmswrites.
