(Untitled)

[blagh]

Is there a word for stalking which does not involve soliciting or tracking someone but just paying unhealthy attention to random information that comes your way, and maybe putting yourself in an otherwise platonic path to find out more.

(is it still stalking)

Comments

[flutterbyz]

I can't speak to how unhealthy the attention is. But there is totally a difference between interest, where you're paying special attention to the person and generally public info about them, and stalking, where you actually start making an effort to invade the person's privacy and/or personal space without their knowledge or consent. It has to do with how intimate the info is and how willing/able you are to actually engage in a relationship with the person, or what lengths you will go to to get info *about* them without getting it *from* them. It's intimacy if they choose to share the info with you. If you're digging for info they don't know you well enough to share with you themselves, then it's stalking (or spying, if it's Sherlock Holmes style strictly professional).

I can't think of a good word, maybe a verb, expressing this distinction atm.