Perceptions of cyber "stalking" amongst young netizens in Singapore

Abstract

Cyberstalking has become a concern especially with the borderless nature of online mediums. It invades the privacy of cyber users and allows harrassment through digital media. It is therefore important to define boundaries through understanding netizens’ perceptions as to what constitutes as ‘stalking’ to them. This served to be the research aim and 12 interviews were conducted to gather data. The research also played on the routine activity perspective to help explain the phenomenon of cyber “stalking”. Findings suggest that netizens' perceptions of online “stalking” had a direct influence on: (1) their choice of friends; (2) their interaction with them; and (3) their presentation of self on social media. It revealed that netizens commonly perceived a stalker to be a male, unattractive, and most likely a foreigner and so these features determined with whom netizens socialised online, how they communicated with persons of the opposite gender and also how they negotiated their identities on social media.