How to Stop Online Harassment

Online harassment is an escalating issue, affecting millions worldwide across social media, email, and forums. For those targeted, the experience can feel isolating and intimidating. This guide offers a roadmap to protect yourself, document abuse, report it effectively, and secure your digital safety. With these actionable steps, you can navigate the complexities of online harassment and regain control over your digital life.

Quick Action Plan for Online Harassment

1. Document all evidence – Take screenshots and save abusive messages.
2. Report harassment on all platforms – Notify each platform where the abuse occurred.
3. Secure your online presence – Update privacy settings and strengthen account security.
4. Involve law enforcement if necessary – Contact authorities if there are threats or personal attacks.
5. Consult with an internet harassment attorney – Explore legal options to stop harassment and protect yourself.

What Constitutes Online Harassment?

Online harassment is a pattern of targeted behavior intended to threaten, intimidate, humiliate, or harm an individual through digital channels such as social media, messaging apps, forums, or email. The goal is often to exert power over the victim and cause emotional distress.

Common forms of online harassment include:

• Cyberbullying: Repeated, hostile behavior intended to harm or intimidate.
• Doxing: Publishing someone’s personal information without consent.
• Impersonation: Creating fake accounts to deceive or defame the victim.
• Revenge porn: Sharing intimate images or videos without permission.

How to Document Online Harassment Effectively

Carefully documenting harassment is one of the most powerful steps you can take to protect yourself and build a strong case if legal action becomes necessary. Follow these steps to ensure all evidence is organized, accessible, and secure.

1. Capture Screenshots of Abusive Content
   To document harassment, take screenshots of abusive content. On most computers, this can be done by pressing the Print Screen button to copy the screen, then pasting it into a document. On smartphones, press the power and volume-down buttons simultaneously. Make sure to capture any information that provides context, including the abuser’s profile information.
2. Organize and Store Evidence Securely
   Organize screenshots in clearly labeled folders with the date and platform (e.g., “FacebookMessengerHarassment-4-12-21”). Use cloud storage for secure backups. Consider creating a harassment log in a spreadsheet with columns for date, time, username, platform, description of harassment, and screenshot filename.
3. Preserve All Evidence
   Avoid deleting messages or posts, as removing evidence can weaken your case. Instead, adjust notification settings or ask a trusted friend to monitor accounts if viewing the content is upsetting. Only remove sensitive personal information the abuser has posted, such as home addresses or social security numbers.

How to Report Online Harassment on Social Media Platforms

Reporting harassment on social media is essential to hold perpetrators accountable and get abusive content removed. Each platform has its own process, which generally involves these steps:

Reporting Harassment on Facebook

1. Go to the abusive post, comment, or message and click the three dots.
2. Select “Find support or report post/comment/message.”
3. Choose “Bullying or harassment” and follow the prompts.

Reporting Harassment on Twitter

1. Click the three dots on the abusive tweet.
2. Select “Report Tweet” > “It’s abusive or harmful.”
3. Provide additional details and submit.

Reporting Harassment on Instagram

1. Click the three dots on the post or message.
2. Tap “Report” > “Report this post/message.”
3. Choose the relevant reason and submit.

Reporting Harassment on LinkedIn

1. Click the three dots on the post or message.
2. Select “Report this post/comment/conversation.”
3. Follow the prompts and submit.

If the harassment spans multiple platforms, report it on each one individually, emphasizing that it is part of a larger cross-platform pattern.

When Should You Involve Law Enforcement?

If online harassment escalates to a serious level, involving law enforcement may be necessary. Situations that often require police intervention include:

• Direct threats of violence or physical harm.
• Stalking, both online and offline.
• Hate crimes.
• Sharing of intimate images without consent.
• Harassment of a minor.

To file a report, contact your local police department’s non-emergency line and provide as much documentation as possible, including screenshots and logs of harassment.

What to Provide Law Enforcement

When meeting with the police, bring the documentation, including screenshots and the harassment log. Provide as much detail as possible about the abuser, including their name, location, and relationship to you if known. If there are specific threats that are concerning, highlight those. Ask for a copy of the police report for your records.

After filing the report, stay in contact with the officer assigned to the case. Provide any new evidence of continued harassment. If the abuser contacts you again, do not engage; save copies of the communication and notify your officer immediately. Depending on the severity of the threats and your location, you may need to file for a restraining order, which will legally prohibit the abuser from contacting you. Your police contact can guide you in that process.

While involving law enforcement can be daunting, it’s often a necessary step to protect your safety. The police have a duty to take these concerns seriously. If an officer is resistant, respectfully insist on filing a report and ask to speak to their supervisor. Remember, everyone has a right to protection under the law.

Legal Options for Victims of Online Harassment

In addition to working with law enforcement, there may be grounds for a civil lawsuit against the harasser. Civil litigation allows the victim to seek monetary damages and injunctive relief, such as a court order requiring the abuser to cease contact. While specific laws vary by state, online harassment often violates several legal principles:

• Defamation: False statements that damage the victim’s reputation
• Invasion of privacy: Intrusion into private affairs or misappropriation of name/likeness
• Intentional infliction of emotional distress: Extreme, outrageous conduct that causes severe distress
• Cyberstalking: Repeated, unwanted contact that causes fear for safety
• Copyright infringement: Unauthorized use of creative work, such as photos

Consulting with an Internet Harassment Attorney

To explore legal options, consult with an attorney who specializes in internet harassment. Look for a law firm with demonstrated experience handling cases like yours. Many firms, including Minc Law, offer consultations to assess your case.

An attorney will evaluate the strength of the case based on the available evidence and relevant laws. They’ll advise on the best course of action, which may include sending a cease and desist letter, filing for a restraining order, or pursuing a civil lawsuit. If legal action is taken, the attorney will guide you through gathering evidence, drafting legal documents, and representing you in court.

It’s important to understand that legal action can be a lengthy and emotionally taxing process. However, it can also be a powerful tool for holding the harasser accountable and obtaining justice. A successful lawsuit can provide both financial compensation and a sense of closure. And by taking a stand against the abuser, it may also help protect others from similar harassment in the future.

How to Secure Your Online Presence Against Harassment

As you work to stop the immediate harassment, it’s also crucial to fortify your online presence against future attacks.

Strengthen Your Account Security

1. Enable two-factor authentication on all accounts. This requires a second form of verification, like a code sent to your phone, to log in.
2. Update passwords to be long, unique, and complex. Consider using a password manager to generate and store them securely.
3. Check account recovery methods and remove any that the abuser may have access to, like a shared phone number or email.
4. Review privacy settings and limit who can see posts, photos, and personal information. Aim for the strictest settings.

Remove Personal Information from Data Broker Sites

Next, audit your digital footprint. Google your name and variations of usernames. Note any sites where personal information, like your address or phone number, is publicly available. To remove data from people-search sites, like Whitepages or Spokeo, follow their opt-out instructions, which are usually found in the site’s privacy policy. For more complex removals, consider using a paid service like DeleteMe, which will handle the process for you.

File DMCA Takedown Notices for Infringing Content

If the harassment has spread to other sites, like blogs or forums, you can file Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notices to get the content removed. The DMCA requires websites to remove infringing content, like photos, upon receiving a valid notice. An attorney or reputation management service can assist with drafting and submitting these notices.

Monitor Your Online Reputation

Finally, be proactive about monitoring your online reputation. Set up Google Alerts for your name and any associated keywords, like your employer or city. You’ll receive email notifications anytime new content mentioning those terms is indexed by Google. This allows you to catch and address any new harassment quickly.

Securing your online presence is an ongoing process, but it’s worth the effort. By making it harder for harassers to access personal information or impersonate you, you can reduce the risk of future attacks. And by being vigilant about monitoring your reputation, you can mitigate the damage if new harassment does occur.

Coping with the Emotional Impact of Online Harassment

The psychological effects of online harassment can include anxiety, depression, and even PTSD. It’s important to take care of your mental health as you work through this difficult experience.

Build a Support Network
Share your experiences with friends, family, or colleagues to reduce isolation. If harassment affects work or school, notify a supervisor or teacher.

Self-Care Strategies

1. Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing.
2. Exercise regularly to reduce stress.
3. Engage in hobbies that bring joy and distraction from harassment.

Seek Professional Support
Consider working with a therapist, especially one with experience in online harassment or trauma. Therapy can offer valuable support and coping strategies, and many advocacy organizations offer free counseling services.

Remember: There is no shame in asking for help. Everyone deserves support in healing from online harassment.

Need Help Stopping Online Harassment? Contact Minc Law

If you’re facing online harassment, Minc Law can help you take action. Our attorneys understand what it takes to stop harassment and protect your online reputation.

Reach out to Minc Law today to discuss your options and get the support you need.