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Online harassment of public-facing professionals is rising. Knowing the tactics, and the words for them, helps you report it and get the right help.
Common harassment tactics
Harassers borrow from a shared playbook. Spotting the pattern is the first step to responding calmly and getting support.
- Astroturfing: fake accounts making backlash look like a crowd.
- Dogpiling: many coordinated accounts piling onto one post or person.
- Concern trolling: hostile messages dressed up in a supportive tone.
- Dog-whistles: coded language that evokes hate without breaking platform rules.
- Hashtag hijacking: swarming a campaign hashtag to drown out its message.
When harassment escalates
Some tactics cross from insults into safety threats. Treat these as emergencies, not disagreements.
- Doxing: publishing someone's private info like home address or phone.
- Cyberstalking: repeated invasive contact across platforms and inboxes.
- Impersonation: fake accounts posting under your name and photo.
- Targeting: harassment aimed at your family or personal life.
- Swatting: false crime reports meant to send police to your door.
- Deepfakes: fabricated audio/video meant to look like a real record.
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Unfamiliar term? Open the Digital Safety Glossary