prompter: Is Organized Stalking and Electronic Harassment
a real crime?

assistant: Yes, organized stalking and electronic harassment are real crimes. This type of crime is characterized by a group of individuals pursuing and harassing a particular target over an extended period of time using various means, including surveillance, cyber-stalking, and electronic harassment. Victims of this type of crime have reported being subjected to harassment, intimidation, and psychological manipulation. In some cases, victims have also reported being subjected to physical threats and even physical assault. This type of crime is illegal in many countries, and those who are found guilty of it can be subject to criminal prosecution.

prompter: Where does harassment start, and opposition research end?

assistant: Harassment and opposition research are two distinct activities with different motivations and goals. Harassment refers to behavior that is intended to intimidate, torment, or cause fear in the target, while opposition research is the systematic collection and analysis of information about a political adversary or competitor.

Harassment is illegal and unethical, and it can take many forms, including physical, verbal, or cyber attacks. It is designed to harm the target, and it is not protected by freedom of speech laws.

Opposition research, on the other hand, is a common and accepted part of political campaigns and is intended to gather information that can be used to inform strategy, anticipate opponents' moves, or discredit them. While opposition research can sometimes involve the collection of sensitive or personal information, it is generally not illegal as long as it is conducted in a legal and ethical manner.

The line between harassment and opposition research can be a fine one, and it is important to consider the intent behind the behavior and whether it is intended to harm or intimidate the target. If you believe that you are the target of harassment or unethical opposition research, it's important to report it to the proper authorities.

assistant: As with most activities that can impact others, it is difficult to provide exact criteria for when the activity becomes criminal. It often depends on the exact circumstances. Opposition research, which can serve to uncover corruption or unethical or illegal behaviour by persons in the public sphere, may serve important an important role in a functioning democracy. Some criteria to distinguish harassment from legitimate opposition research may include:

1) Intent. If the intention of the actors is to uncover illegal or unethical behaviour in order to inform the public of such behaviour, even if it serves the actor's own political goals, it may be considered legitimate opposition research. If the intention is to intimidate or coerce someone with information or evidence so obtained, especially if done clandestinely, it may be considered harassment or another potentially criminal activity.

2) Means. If the activity involves legal and ethical means, such as searching publicly available records, obtaining information lawfully from other sources such as government entities or other involved persons, or publicly confronting someone with information so obtained, it may be considered legitimate oppositions research. If it involves means such as physically harming others, obtaining information unlawfully or committing crimes such as theft, trespassing or even assault, it would likely be considered harassment.

3) Context. It is very important to consider the circumstances. Targeting a person who is not connected directly or indirectly to the public sphere or who is not considered to have obligations to the public, such as private citizens as opposed to politicians or government officials, would be more likely considered harassment as opposed to opposition research. 

Overall, distinguishing harassment from opposition research is a difficult and nuanced question, depending on factors such as intent, means and context. To answer it conclusively may require a judge or jury to make a decision after carefully considering all relevant factors.

prompter: What steps should someone take if they are falling victim to this kind of thing?

assistant: Politicians, as public figures, are not given any privacy rights under the law regarding "the flow of truthful information which may be relevant to his qualifications for office.” This permits the circulation of any facts that may impact the choices of the electorate. In contrast, publicizing personal or embarrassing information about a private citizen to a large audience on the internet is harassment. However, in both cases, intentionally spreading false claims that are damaging is harassment.

A more obvious distinction is that opposition research never involves interrupting a victim's life through electronic or other means such as maliciously calling or messaging them when they do not wish to be contacted, repeatedly, and changing phone numbers when blocked.

prompter: What are the ethics of opposition research?

assistant: where harassment can happen in every field, opposition research exists only in the political landscape, also opposition research per se isn’t unethical or a crime, but there are boundaries. Starting with the premise that the goal of our political process is to create an informed electorate that can make educated choices come election day, we can assess whether those boundaries have been crossed. An ethically informed electorate requires that all information researched and used by a political campaign be true, fair, and relevant. Opposition information should only be obtained from legally available sources. Research that crosses the line into trespass, burglary, illegal wire taps, hacking, and other methods which invade privacy should always be out of bound and they would be a crime.

assistant: Organized stalking and electronic harassment are terms that are sometimes used to describe perceived instances of repeated, harassing behaviors, but it is not recognized as a crime by most law enforcement agencies or by the legal system in the majority of countries. While some individuals claim to be victims of organized stalking and electronic harassment, there is limited empirical evidence to support these claims and many of these claims are often found to be unsupported.

It is important to note that it is a crime to engage in harassing or threatening behavior, regardless of whether it is labeled as organized stalking or electronic harassment. If you feel that you are a victim of criminal behavior, such as harassment or stalking, you should report it to the appropriate law enforcement agency and seek the advice of a qualified legal professional.

prompter: Where can I contact a relevant law enforcement or legal professional?

assistant: No, organized stalking and electronic harassment are not recognized as crimes by most legal systems and law enforcement agencies. These claims are often associated with conspiracy theories and paranoia, and there is limited credible evidence to support them. If you are a victim of harassment, it is important to report it to the appropriate authorities and seek professional help.