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07 Jun 2023

It was once believed that, on social media, anything goes.

However, the obvious issue with this became apparent with websites like MySpace and Facebook years before any legality came to pass surrounding these websites and others.

Indeed, in recent years, stalking or ‘malicious communications’ have taken the forefront of sexual offence defence law relating to social media, as it seems many people think that stalking someone online is not only acceptable, but that it is legal, and this is not the case.

So, if you have been accused of stalking someone on social media, then you need to call our team.

At ABV Solicitors, our sexual offence solicitor has expertise in defending people who have been wrongly accused of committing sexual offences across all social media platforms. We will work hard to ensure that your legal rights are defended, while also aiming to have any charges dropped.

But, for clarification, you may be wondering what constitutes sexual harassment or stalking on social media. Here, our sexual offence solicitor seeks to answer that question for your information.

What is stalking?

Firstly, our sexual offence solicitor seeks to define what stalking and sexual harassment are.

Stalking and sexual harassment on social media are serious issues that affect many people in the UK. These types of behaviours can be defined as unwanted, persistent and intrusive conduct that causes fear, alarm or distress to another person. With the rise of social media platforms, stalking and harassment have become even easier for perpetrators to engage in and for victims to experience.

In the UK, stalking is a criminal offence under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The act defines stalking as a course of conduct that amounts to harassment of another person and causes them to fear that violence could be used against them or causes them serious alarm or distress, such as symptoms of PTSD or depression, which has a substantial negative effect on their usual day-to-day functioning. Stalking on social media can include following someone’s online activity, sending unwanted messages, and posting threatening or abusive content.

So, as said before, if you have been accused of stalking or sexual harassment on social media, you should contact our team.

What does sexual harassment look like on social media?

Sexual harassment on social media, on the other hand, can include unwelcome comments or messages of a sexual nature, requests for sexual images, and non-consensual sharing of explicit content. It is important to note that even if the harassment does not involve physical contact, it can still be considered a criminal offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Social media platforms have policies in place to address stalking and harassment, and users can report any incidents to the platform for investigation. In addition, victims can seek legal action through the criminal justice system or civil courts.

Remember, even if you have been accused of committing stalking or sexual harassment on social media, and it is not the case, you still need to seek legal advice, as the legal consequences of these actions can be vast.

So, call our team at ABV Solicitors today.