Taking action
Online abuse can be overwhelming and distressing but there is support available.
Read our step-by-step flowcharts to find out how to respond when you are experiencing online abuse yourself or supporting another person.
Advice for specific types of online abuse
Select a subject
Adult cyber abuse
Someone has communicated with me electronically in a way that is that is menacing, harassing or offensive and intended to cause serious harm.
How do I respond?
Collect Preserve evidence.
Report Report to the online service or platform. If you don't hear back, report to eSafety.
Block Don’t respond. Block unwanted contact.
Support Seek support.
Review Review and update your privacy and security settings.
If you are at risk of immediate harm, call Triple Zero (000).
Trolling
Someone online is deliberately provoking an argument or emotional reaction from me.
How do I respond?
Collect Preserve evidence.
Block Don’t respond. Block unwanted contact.
Support Seek support.
Review Review and update your privacy and security settings.
If you are at risk of immediate harm, call Triple Zero (000).
Image-based abuse
Someone has shared or threatened to share an intimate image or video of me without my consent.
How do I respond?
Collect Preserve evidence.
Report Report to eSafety.
Block Don’t respond. Block unwanted contact.
Support Seek support.
Review Review and update your privacy and security settings.
If you are at risk of immediate harm, call Triple Zero (000).
Sexual extortion
Someone is using my intimate images or videos to blackmail me.
How do I respond?
Collect Preserve evidence.
Report Report to eSafety.
Block Don’t respond. Block unwanted contact.
Support Seek support.
Review Review and update your privacy and security settings.
If you are at risk of immediate harm, call Triple Zero (000).
Impersonation accounts
A fake social media account has been set up in my name to humiliate me.
How do I respond?
Collect Preserve evidence.
Report Report to the platform.
Block Don’t respond. Block unwanted contact.
Support Seek support.
Review Review and update your privacy and security settings.
If you are at risk of immediate harm, call Triple Zero (000).
Doxing
My personal details have been shared online, resulting in offensive comments and unwanted contact from strangers. Find out more about doxing.
How do I respond?
Collect Preserve evidence.
Report Report to the online service or platform.
Block Don't respond. Block unwanted contact.
Support Seek support.
Review Review and update your privacy and security settings.
If you are at risk of immediate harm, call Triple Zero (000).
Deepfakes/morphing
My face has been added to a nude of someone else's body and posted online.
How do I respond?
Collect Preserve evidence.
Report Report to eSafety.
Block Do not respond. Block unwanted contact.
Support Seek support.
Review Review and update your privacy and security settings.
If you are at risk of immediate harm, call Triple Zero (000).
Defamatory comments
Someone has posted comments intended to harm my reputation.
How do I respond?
Collect Preserve evidence.
Report Report to the online service or platform and seek legal help.
Block Block unwanted contact.
Support Seek support.
Review Review and update your privacy and security settings.
If you are at risk of immediate harm, call Triple Zero (000).
Take control of your online space
You can take control of your online space by following these social media safety tips.
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Settings
Check that the settings on your social media accounts keep your personal information private. For information about privacy settings, see The eSafety Guide.
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Personally identifiable information
Don't share your personally identifiable information such as your home address, email address, phone number or birthdate online. You may also consider not sharing your full name, where possible.
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Social posting
Don’t post anything that may put you in danger, affect your reputation or be used against you or your family.
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Hashtags
Don’t hashtag anything you don’t want to become public. Anything with a hashtag is searchable on the internet, depending on your privacy settings.
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Location services
If you don’t want people to know where you are, disable the location services on your device and avoid ‘checking in’ to places and venues. Update permissions in your settings so that others cannot tag or post videos or photos of you.
You can report online abuse to us
Getting help and support
If you are in danger or experiencing distress, you can get legal help and counselling support.
Last updated: 27/04/2023