Indy Clinton Tracks Down Online Trolls, Says Many Were Mothers and Professionals

Indy Clinton has shared new details about how she dealt with online abuse, months after revealing she hired a private investigator to track down people who were harassing her online.

In July, the Australian influencer warned her social media followers that she had contacted a private investigator to identify the people behind anonymous hate accounts. She said she had been repeatedly targeted over her appearance, parenting choices and fashion.

At the time, Clinton revealed the investigation produced a 64-page report containing detailed information about her trolls, including business records, personal histories and other identifying details.

Now, speaking to Stellar magazine, Clinton explained how the investigation worked and how much it cost.

She said the investigation took 12 weeks and cost $8,000. The work was carried out by a Sydney-based cybercrime investigation firm called Cybertrace, which specialises in online harassment and fraud cases.

Clinton said personal information was uncovered for 15 of her most active trolls. This included their home addresses, jobs, hairdressers and, in one case, a mobile phone number that was identified through an image the person had posted online.

She said she was surprised by who was behind the accounts.

“The majority of these people are mothers with multiple children,” Clinton said. “Some had high-paying jobs. Two of them are lawyers. One works in HR.”

Clinton added that she has spoken with lawyers and has been advised she may be able to pursue legal action for defamation or harassment. However, she said she is unsure whether she has the time or energy to take action against everyone involved.

Instead, she is focusing on raising awareness through her #URNotAnon campaign, which aims to remind people that their online actions can be traced and that anonymity on social media is often an illusion.