These are the most common forms of digital violence in the U.S. and here’s how you can protect yourself
From online harassment to identity theft: this is how digital violence happens in the U.S. and what measures help to curb it.
Digital violence is no longer a fringe issue in the U.S. It’s infiltrating social media, email, and messaging platforms, impacting both teens and adults. While it leaves no visible scars, the consequences can be just as severe - triggering anxiety, fear, isolation, and even financial harm that’s hard to undo.
Common forms of digital violence
One of the most widespread is online harassment, which ranges from repeated insults to coordinated campaigns designed to humiliate or intimidate someone. Then there’s doxxing - a growing practice of publishing personal information such as home address, phone number, or workplace with the intent to incite threats or real-world attacks. Another tactic is identity theft, where perpetrators create fake profiles or hack accounts to send messages, solicit money, or damage the victim’s reputation.
The rise of digital extortion
Particularly alarming is the surge in extortion involving intimate images, whether real or manipulated. The advent of artificial intelligence has amplified the threat through deepfakes - highly convincing fake content that can be weaponized for blackmail or coercion.
How to protect yourself
There’s no foolproof defense, but prevention is possible. Experts advise tightening privacy settings on social platforms, using strong and unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and treating unexpected links or messages with skepticism - even if they appear to come from trusted contacts. Keeping evidence - screenshots, emails, URLs - is also critical for reporting abuse.
A fast-evolving threat
Digital violence is advancing as quickly as technology itself. Recognizing it and knowing how to respond has become an essential self-defense skill in a world where the virtual and the real are increasingly intertwined.
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