Domestic abuse law fails to recognise danger of tech abuse, Lords committee told

Technology-facilitated abuse uses digital devices and platforms to harass, stalk, monitor, control, and abuse individuals. Tech abuse has become very common in domestic abuse contexts and can be as devastating as physical abuse. Examples include stalkerware and spyware installed on phones, tracking devices such as AirTags sewn into children’s belongings during visitation orders, smart fridges used to prevent access to food, and smart speakers remotely triggered to play distressing audio throughout a home. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 defines domestic abuse through physical, sexual, violent or threatening, coercive and controlling, economic, and psychological or emotional abuse, but tech abuse is not explicitly mentioned. Cases may be covered under coercive and controlling behaviour, though some may fall between gaps. A Kaspersky report found 45% of respondents globally experienced tech abuse in the past 12 months.

"Technology-facilitated abuse, or tech abuse, is the use of digital devices and platforms to harass, stalk, monitor, control and abuse an individual. Tech abuse has become increasingly prevalent and very commonplace now within a domestic abuse context. Reed called for the inclusion of tech abuse in the statutory definition of domestic abuse. She said: Tech abuse is just as devastating as physical abuse. The effects that we see on individuals, I cannot overstate enough how horrendous some of the cases are that we see."

"We see stalkerware and spyware installed on people's phones. We see a lot of [Apple] AirTags and tracking devices being sewn into children's belongings or clothes during visitation orders, so that the child can be tracked back to their refuge. We've seen smart fridges used to stop people from being able to eat or to access food while they're at home. We've seen smart speakers when a perpetrator has gone to work accessed remotely to blast a wedding song or something else triggering through every speaker in the home."

"The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 created a statutory definition of domestic abuse that encompassed physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, coercive and controlling behaviour, economic abuse, and psychological or emotional abuse. While tech abuse is not mentioned, cases would typically fall under the category of coercive and controlling behaviour although there is room for cases to fall between the cracks."

"The cybersecurity company Kaspersky released a report into tech abuse on Tuesday, which found 45% of its respondents globally had experienced tech abuse in the past 12 month"

Read at www.theguardian.com