Understanding Internet blackmail laws

This post has been modified to reflect new information since its original publication.

The interpersonal connectivity of the internet has created many wonderful things, but unfortunately, it also has a dark side—specifically, internet blackmail. Understanding internet blackmail laws can help you navigate your digital privacy much better.

Online blackmail is rampant. If you’ve ever been threatened online by someone trying to force you to do or not do something, then you have experienced internet blackmail. It’s important for anyone who uses the internet to understand this threat and know how to respond to it.

Just bookmark our related articles to review anytime:

• How to deal with online blackmail
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Below, we’ll discuss the most common forms of online blackmail and how you can protect yourself.

What is blackmail?

Under American law, blackmail, or extortion, is a crime involving the use of threats to demand that someone behave in a certain manner or provide money or other benefit. It often involves an exchange of money to keep something secret that may be embarrassing for the victim.

How does internet blackmail work?

Generally, blackmail over the internet takes the form of a hacker breaching your PC and finding something in your personal data that you don’t want revealed.

In many cases, it’s a private photograph, often of an erotic nature.

Subsequently, the blackmailer demands financial compensation or more photographs. This crime is sometimes referred to as “sextortion.” If the blackmailer takes control of your webcam to generate compromising images or videos, it is known as “webcam blackmail.”

Often, blackmailers have multiple victims. One sextortionist targeted over 128 women.

In the United States, many online blackmailers target teenagers. In more conservative countries with strong social stigmas against showing women’s bodies, sextortion and online blackmail have led to horrific outcomes, including suicide, rape, and murder.

The truth is, online blackmail can affect anyone, anywhere, regardless of age or gender.

List of common online blackmail behaviors:

• Sextortion: Hackers demand sexually compromising photos or videos and use them to blackmail victims, sometimes taking control of a victim’s webcam.

• Revenge porn: The threat or distribution of intimate images or videos without consent to coerce victims into meeting demands.

• Personal information blackmail: Scammers obtain sensitive personal information, like login credentials or social security numbers, and threaten to expose or misuse it unless their demands are met.

• Fake profiles and catfishing: Blackmailers create fake social media profiles to manipulate victims into sharing personal or explicit content for blackmail.

• Account takeover: Gaining unauthorized access to online accounts, gathering sensitive information, and using it to blackmail victims.

• Financial extortion: Threatening to expose sensitive financial information unless monetary demands are met.

• Reputation damage: Threatening to tarnish an individual’s reputation by exposing embarrassing or damaging information.

• Data breach threats: Threatening to release or sell sensitive personal or business information obtained through a data breach.

• Social media exploitation: Using personal information from social media platforms to coerce individuals into compliance.

• Threats of defamation: Demanding money or favors to prevent the spread of false statements that could harm the victim’s reputation.

These behaviors exploit emotional manipulation and trust, creating a sense of urgency to pressure victims into compliance.

Blackmail is illegal, even on the internet

First and foremost, blackmail—whether conducted online or offline—is illegal in the United States. (If you are outside of the US, check your local laws.) Many blackmailers falsely claim that the lack of specific online extortion laws shields them from prosecution, but this is often untrue.

Since most internet blackmail starts with the hacking of a victim’s computer, additional criminal laws can also apply, such as laws against computer trespassing, unlawful wiretapping, fraud, spamming, or communication interference. Sextortion may violate multiple state and federal laws, including those related to sexual assault, coercion, and child pornography if the victim is underage.

What should you do if you are being blackmailed?

1. Contact the police, especially in cases of sextortion. If the matter is especially sensitive, consider consulting an attorney, as trying to handle the situation alone can make it worse.

• Don’t give in to the blackmailer’s demands. You might think complying will make them leave you alone, but this rarely happens. As long as the blackmailer has leverage, the potential for abuse continues.

• Stop using your hacked device immediately. Power it down completely to prevent remote access. Don’t attempt to reformat the device until instructed by the police, as this could destroy valuable evidence.

• Use a different, secure device to change all your passwords. Ensure the blackmailer cannot access any personal accounts, including email, social media, and online banking.

How can I avoid being blackmailed over the internet?

The first step in avoiding online blackmail is educating yourself on how it works. Knowing the warning signs can help you avoid falling victim. However, sometimes it’s impossible to prevent a situation completely. For example, one track-and-field coach exploited his access to college students to blackmail them with sextortion.

Another preventative measure is to avoid storing compromising information or photos on your devices. If you must store sensitive material, ensure it’s in an encrypted, password-protected file. If your computer has a built-in webcam, keep it covered when not in use.

For more tips, check out our rules for avoiding oversharing on social media and suggestions for protecting your children from online predators.

Often, we’re unsure what damaging content may be lingering online. For that, we created the online reputation report card. This free resource helps you discover how others perceive you online and provides insights into how vulnerable your online privacy may be. Grab your free reputation report card today and find out how to protect your digital identity.

This article is based on practices in the U.S. and may vary based on state laws and regulations in other countries. Consult your attorney with concerns for local jurisdictions.