How every reader can support our campaign when they are online
THROUGH OUR Call It Out campaign, we are asking readers to help play their part in making social media platforms into a better place for us all by reporting abusive online behaviour.
We know there are lots of positives to using social media, from connecting with old friends and finding new communities to sharing your experiences and seeing the world through the eyes of others. But we know it can also attract people who choose to hurl abuse and make personal attacks when they disagree with someone’s views, post hateful comments or target individual users.
Here’s how you can help to call out this harmful behaviour by reporting unacceptable comments to the UK’s three most popular social media providers or, where necessary, to the police.
Facebook – Behaviour not allowed on Facebook includes:
• Posting things that do not follow the Facebook Community Standards, such as threats, hate speech or graphic violence.
• Using Facebook to bully, impersonate or harass anyone.
• Abusing Facebook features in a way that may make others feel uncomfortable or unsafe, such as sending friend requests to many people you do not know.
You can report individual posts by clicking on the three dots in the top right of the post and selecting the ‘find support or report post’ option.
There are also similar mechanisms for reporting comments, images, pages, groups, events and other things that you think are not following the Facebook Community Standards.
Instagram – Like Facebook, Instagram has its own set of Community Guidelines setting out what content and behaviour is acceptable.
To report a post or profile, just tap the three dots above the post, select ‘report’ and follow the on-screen instructions.
There are mechanisms for making reports if you are using Instagram on the web or want to report comments. You can even make a report if you do not have an Instagram account by using a form on its website.
Twitter – Twitter says it strives to provide a space where people can feel free to express themselves but it wants to make it easy for people to report any abuse. Its reporting mechanism allows multiple tweets or lists to be included in the same report, helping it gain better context.
Navigate to the tweet you would like to report on twitter. com or the app, click or tap the downward arrow icon, select ‘report’ and then ‘It’s abusive or harmful’. You will be asked to give more information about the issue and potentially select additional tweets from the account you are reporting.
Similar mechanisms exist for reporting an account, list, individual message or conversation, or behaviour.
When might it be a criminal matter? There are a number of offences linked to abusive behaviour on social media that could warrant the attention of police.
• Hate crime is any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity or perceived disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. It includes inciting hatred by words, images or videos.
• A hate incident is any noncrime incident perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s characteristics, as above. Examples include online abuse, insults or harassment.
• Online bullying or
“cyber bullying” is the use of electronic media, especially a mobile phone, tablet or home computer to intimidate, threaten or upset someone.
• Stalking and harassment can take place online and can be extremely traumatic. Reports can be made to a social media provider, the National Stalking helpline on 0808 802 0300 or police on 101.