Since social media started, people have found it acceptable to abuse and insult other users. They are often sure that no one would catch them. Rather than spend their time on enjoyable activities such as taking advantage of no deposit bonus in top online casinos, they try to ruin the online experiences of others. It is impossible to stop every person every time, but it is possible to keep them from your account. Popular sites have many reports of this sort of offence against them, but what do you do if you become a victim? Each site has its own policy, and users should not be afraid to use them.
This site can be much fun but can also bring an array of problems for users. Instagram categorizes abuse in many ways. First, it can be a direct attack on another user. Next, it can be general undesirable content. Once logged in to the account, there are just a few simple steps to remove this:
- Find the post and tap the comment item related to it.
- Select the offending comment - when using an iPhone, there is the need to swipe left over it.
- Look to the top right-hand corner and find the exclamation mark. You should select this; it is a must.
- Next, choose 'report this comment'.
- The complainer should explain why they are doing this and why they consider the remark or post to be offensive.
The company will not allow any comeback to the person reporting the incident, so you should have no fear when doing this. The process is very nearly the same if someone replies to a post inappropriately. Next, open the post that has a problem by tapping the comment icon. Select the problematic one and then press delete.
Report Bullying on TikTok
Following on from Vine, TikTok allows users to promote themselves. It also lets them have fun taking part in challenges. Even though TikTok is not similar to other social media websites, it still attracts unpleasantness and illegal posts. Because people can post by using a name they have chosen, they feel more confident to do what they please.
Adults posting can often forget that many children are using the site and post-age-inappropriate remarks. Some may choose to sort this between families or by involving schools. But, it is still best to remove the comments. Also, it may be best to keep a screenshot, however, if it is necessary to take further actions.
Reporting is easy as all that has to happen is that their profile is accessed. Ensure that you select the three dots there, and then there is the option to report or block. If it is an offending video, select the arrow that is right facing. You can find this underneath the comment and heart icons. To finish the reporting process, click on the Report icon. When it is a comment, it is even easier. So, choose the comment and click on the Report button. The final area where one can make a complaint is when it is a message. Open up the conversation, select the three dots, and click on the Report icon.
Safety on Snapchat
Snapchat makes it easy for users to create reports. If people have problems using the app, they should make a report on the website.
- To report an account - Select the name and hold it, select “More” in the corner and then select the report.
- To report a story - Select the story and click on the Report Snap icon.
Reporting Content on Twitter
Threatened and abused users regularly criticize Twitter for refusing to act fast. There may be limits to the length of a Tweet, but some can be incredibly offensive. There are a few simple steps when it comes to reporting a Tweet.
- The user must select the icon on the Tweet to be reported.
- Choose the Report icon and click that, then indicate if it is abusive or harmful.
- The user must provide more information regarding why they find the comment offensive. They must send other examples from the account of the same person.
- Select whether or not you want to follow up details sent.
- Users will receive additional advice regarding staying safe online.
One should follow the same procedure if they want to report the entire account. Even if Twitter has already blocked an account, you can report the same account by clicking on the overflow icon before clicking on the Report icon.
The Scale of the Problem
While it is hard to say how many people suffer abuse through social media, the figures are high. Abuse to one person will not be the same as abuse to another, and it will be seen differently by the people receiving it.
Getting information is difficult as well. The companies are happy to quote the amount of abuse they remove, but not the amount they miss. Legal cases are not a good example either, as there are very few that go to court. There is also no evidence regarding percentage as getting a clear picture of the amount of content or users each site has proved to be difficult.
Lives are being disrupted and mental health affected due to the ferocity of the remarks and the threats being made. A figure given is that up to 1% of posts are abusive, and this is beginning to impact the mental health of site users.
MPs receive death threats, with female MPs getting threats of rape as well. Black celebrities - especially sportspeople - become the target of racial abuse after events, and again there seem to be few prosecuted for it. And younger people receive the most. The latter point could be due to the amount of time they spend on the platforms.
While some effort is being made to remove abuse, there is still a lot to be done. If more people played online rather than seeking to abuse others, social media would be a much better place to be.