stalking

In casual internet slang, "stalking" (often phrased as "Facebook stalking" or "Insta-stalking") refers to the act of browsing through a person's social media posts, photos, or online history without interacting with them or letting them know you are looking. The term originated from the serious criminal offense of stalking—persistent and unwanted attention that causes fear—but underwent semantic bleaching in the mid-2000s with the rise of social networks. In this context, it is usually intended as hyperbole for intense curiosity or deep-diving into a digital footprint.

Perspectives on this usage are divided. Those who use it casually argue that it is a harmless metaphor for the inherent voyeurism of social media, often used self-deprecatingly to admit to being nosy. They contend that the context usually distinguishes it from actual harassment. However, critics and victim advocacy groups argue that using "stalking" as a synonym for "browsing" minimizes the gravity of criminal stalking. They suggest that normalizing the language of predation to describe mundane internet activity can desensitize people to the dangers of actual obsession and is insensitive to survivors of real-world harassment.

Example:
"I stayed up way too late stalking my ex's new girlfriend on Instagram."

Example:
"Is it considered stalking if I look at his LinkedIn profile five years back?"