Knowing how to take proper care of our personal security in the digital world is one of the new imperatives of this society, which is why it is important to know how to react to WhatsApp messages with threats: what to do and how to save them . These messages can be used as evidence when going to the authorities to report abusive or threatening behavior towards us.
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WHAT TO DO IF YOU RECEIVE DEATH THREATS ON WHATSAPP
Cyberbullying can evolve into very dangerous paths, and you may have wondered what to do if you receive death threats on WhatsApp . In these cases in which the situation has already become unsustainable and very risky, it is best to act as soon as possible to find a solution.
First of all, it is advisable to cut all possible ties with that person , so it is never recommended to answer these threats. Next, we can start taking measures both within the application and before the authorities (Police or Civil Guard).
In the face of a death threat, it is convenient to report the conversation to WhatsApp , something that can be done by pressing the icon of the three points that we find in the upper right part of the screen. Next, we will have to select the ‘More’ option and then press ‘Report’.
An informative message and the option to block your contact and delete the conversation will then appear. It is recommended to uncheck this box, since the conversation can be a test in itself , and in case of a complaint it is recommended to have access to it. When we are sure if we want to delete the chat or not , we will press ‘Report’ so that the last messages of the same reach the moderators of the application, being able to be the person who threatens banned from WhatsApp.
Beyond these steps within the application, attorneys recommend collecting as much evidence as possible. In addition to making sure that the WhatsApp backup is activated , it never hurts to take screenshots to demonstrate the seriousness of the threats to the police and/or judicial authorities.
The next step is to report these threats to the Police or Civil Guard , hence the importance of having the evidence available. This complaint must be made in person at the nearest police station or barracks to your home. It is also recommended to have legal advice, preferably from lawyers specialized in Criminal Law.
Returning to the subject of WhatsApp captures, sharing them is legal as long as the privacy of the other person is not compromised and personal data is not shared, as the Granda & Asociados law firm points out . However, these captures will have to be verified by a computer expert in the event that our complaint reaches the courts , since the judges do not have the tools to discern between a false capture and a real one.
HOW TO KNOW WHO THREATENS ME ON WHATSAPP
Unfortunately, instant messaging services, as well as social networks, make it easy for threats to be anonymous, which makes it difficult to know who is threatening me on WhatsApp . If you receive messages from an unknown number, the user will still have to report it to the authorities.
The process to identify the author of the threats can be arduous, but the Criminal Procedure Act provides that the service provider, in this case WhatsApp , provide the IP address from which the threat originates. This can help the Police or Civil Guard to identify the person who is sending the threatening messages.
WHAT TO DO IF I AM EXTORTED BY WHATSAPP
Threats through messaging applications can be of a different nature, and many users wonder what to do if they extort me through WhatsApp . When someone tries to blackmail another user with WhatsApp under the threat of making some private content public (confidential documents, erotic content, compromising personal information), it can fall into a crime of extortion , something again reportable.
Blocking it and cutting off all means of communication with that person is also essential to stop the extortion . If you repeatedly contact other numbers, you will also have to block it, but without deleting the conversation . When reporting it to the authorities, any material that can help them will be important.
WHEN DOES A CRIME OF HARASSMENT BY WHATSAPP OCCUR?
The border between a criminal act or a simple annoying behavior can be different for each individual, so it is advisable to know when a crime of harassment by WhatsApp occurs to take it into account when evaluating a complaint before the authorities. The crime of harassment came into force in Spain in 2015 and involves a serious alteration of the victim’s daily life, as pointed out by the Mas y Calvet Law Firm .
Among the factors that will be taken into account to assess whether there is harassment are the alteration in the behavior of the person who suffers the harassment, that these messages are qualitatively superior to simple annoyances, that they are persistent over time. In addition, the particularities of each individual (situation of vulnerability, for example) will also be taken into account when analyzing each case.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF A COMPLAINT FOR THREATS BY WHATSAPP
Sometimes we tend to think that inappropriate and criminal behavior comes free in the virtual sphere, but it is not true. What are the consequences of a complaint for threats by WhatsApp ? The Criminal Code already includes the crime of threats as a minor crime according to its article 171.1.
Those who make the threats may face civil and criminal consequences as long as the person is over 14 years of age . Minors under 14 are not liable, but that does not mean that if they dedicate themselves to threatening other people via WhatsApp, this will go unpunished, since it will be their parents or legal guardians who face a possible conviction.
It should also be borne in mind that insults are no longer a crime , unlike threats, insults or slander. In the event that a person receives insults on WhatsApp, he will always have the possibility of reporting the user who exhibits that behavior. In addition to reporting it, the fastest solution is based on ignoring said insults or blocking the user who utters them.