The appeal to the authorities and specialized institutions, which may intervene to eliminate the abusive content and to identify the aggressor, is essential, as well as the reporting of the aggressor’s content or profile to the respective platform.
The aggressors rely on the fear of victims, but can be stopped. Photo: Shutterstock
For many victims of the revenue or other forms of digital harassment, the blackmail becomes a suffocating trap. The first reaction is often a panic – the fear that the images could be made public determines the victim to give in to the aggressor. But according to psychologist Mădălina Guluță,
“The blackmail, in any form, is a crime, and the aggressor should not be allowed to have control”. Those who blackmail rely on the fear of the victim to get what they want – either sexual favors, money or emotional control over it. This is why the most important rule is not to give up.
“If you offer what the aggressor requires, most likely the blackmail will continue, it will not stop”explains the psychologist.
In some cases, victims may try to take time to collect as much evidence as possible, without giving the aggressor what they ask. “There are situations in which the victim can try to get more information by playing the role of a cooperating person. For example, he can try to find out if the aggressor acts alone or if he is part of a group, if the blackmail is just a threat without foundation or if he really has compromising images whether they are real or deepfake. Questions like “Where do you have those pictures?”, “What do you want exactly from me?” they can provide clues about the source of materials and the intentions of the aggressor. However, this type of approach must be done very carefully and with the clear purpose of gathering evidence ”emphasizes Guluță.
“The correct information is the best weapon against online manipulation and harassment.” – Mircea Șcheau, cyber security specialist
As hard as it may be, the most important reaction is not to be alone in this situation. “The blackmail works on silence and fear. If the victim breaks silence, ask for help and act quickly, he can increase his chances of stopping the aggressor and regain control over his own life. “concludes the psychologist. And for this process to start as soon as possible, it is crucial for the victim to not remain isolated and take immediate measures.
The appeal to the authorities and specialized institutions, which may intervene to eliminate the abusive content and to identify the aggressor, is essential, as well as the reporting of the aggressor’s content or profile to the respective platform. “The first steps are the contact of the National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC) and the Romanian Police to block and delete the malicious content as soon as possible. Thus begins the process of identifying the attacker so that he is responsible from a legal point of view. “explains Mircea Șcheau, a cyber security specialist, for “Weekend Adevărul”.
How to gather evidence
“Between the moment when the victim discovers the material and the one in which a cyber security specialist takes over, that content may undergo changes, can be moved to other platforms or even deleted to avoid detecting.”explains the specialist. To increase the chances of the aggressor being identified and held accountable, every detail matters: “Any screenshot is more than recommended. Any additional information, any detail that adds the complexity of the case reduces the work volume of cyber security specialists and helps them fit the crime faster. “emphasizes the specialist.
Reporting should be as detailed as possible and include screenshots with the date and time, the exact links of the pages where the content has been published, as well as any other evidence that can help investigate the case. “This is not only a recommendation for women, but for anyone who is experiencing a digital attack. The better the reporting to the police and DNSC is, the more the chances of acting efficiently and rapidly grow. “points out Mircea Șcheau, president of Cloud Security Alliance – Romania Chapter.
Once a compromising content is distributed online, tracking its route becomes a major challenge, especially if it is taken over and redistributed by unknown persons. “It is not always possible to follow exactly how a harmful message is rolled. If it has been taken over and redirected from a profile, there is no direct control over how it circulates “explains Mircea Șcheau. In many cases, the victims find out about the existence of abusive content by warning friends or colleagues, but if the information is spread in private groups or on obscure sites, their pursuit and elimination requires more advanced methods.
Data protection is essential for lowering risks in the digital environment. Photo: Shutterstock
But the victims can also resort to specialized platforms in reporting abusive content. They can introduce sites in black lists, reducing their visibility in search engines and preventing access to them in monitored networks. There are also tools that can check if a certain image or video has been redistributed on other platforms.
“There are mechanisms that can be identified if an image appears on several sites or if it has been taken over and broadcast through various channels.”explains Mircea Șcheau. These include Google Reverse Image Search, which allows to load an image to detect the sites it appears, but also specialized services in protecting the digital identity, capable of monitoring and signaling the user unauthorized distribution of his personal content.
Also, a method of protection is to prevent the future spread of compromising materials: some platforms allow preventive loading of images, so that they are automatically blocked if someone is trying to publish them. This technology is already used by international organizations that fight against the porn and other forms of digital harassment.
“Not all these methods are available for the general public, but there are tools that can follow and limit the spread of abusive content. It is important for victims to act quickly, collect evidence and request the support of authorities and experts in cyber security ”concludes Șcheau.
Education, the key to digital protection
“Everything we post on the Internet remains there and can be exploited later by cyber criminals. Each photo, each check-in, every group in which we display creates a digital imprint that, sooner or later, someone can use for malicious purposes. “warns Mircea Șcheau, a cyber security specialist. Therefore, it is essential to think twice before publishing personal information on social networks.
“The criminals do their job by exploiting these details. We should do our part – to impose our own limits and filter what we publicly expose “emphasizes the specialist.
Self-control in the online environment does not mean paranoia, but a form of necessary digital protection, especially in the context in which Deepfakes and other types of identity handling are rapidly spreading. Careful management of online presence not only protects us from situations such as digital harassment, blackmail, porn, but also from identity theft or other types of cyber attacks.
For those who want to be constantly informed and to be aware of the risks and protection measures, there are several recommended official resources: the National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC), the Cyberint National Center (SRI), the site of the Special Telecommunications Service (STS), the Romanian Police-the Safety Cyber security awareness, supported by DNSC, Romanian Police and Romanian Banks Association (ARB). By accessing these sources, users can better understand the mechanisms by which criminals operate and take measures to prevent digital attacks. “Correct information is the best weapon against online manipulation and harassment”emphasizes Mircea Șcheau.
