Cyber-stalking, threats open to police action

Detective Sergeant Porter said that aside from cyber-stalking or harassment, people posting insulting comments about others on such websites were also leaving themselves open to civil defamation suits which could cost thousands of dollars in pay-outs.He said anonymous posters on website forums could be tracked down in the same way police have caught people involved in uploading or downloading child pornography."People can be tracked down . . . and they will be dealt with," Detective Sergeant Porter said."Police are able to establish who posts these sort of things."There are various avenues open to police to track down people who do this."They will be charged and prosecuted. If they are committing offences they will be held accountable."Legally, an act of cyber-stalking is defined as including when a person stalks another person by publishing on the internet or by an email or other electronic communication to any person a statement or other material with the intention of causing physical or mental harm to the victim or of arousing apprehension or fear in the victim for their own safety.