[Closed] Online harassment - what to do about it?

Police and ISP immediately; don't take any shit from either; direct them to legislation and tell them you will escalate unless they act promptly.

AS frank says - screenshots might be handy incase it disapears and tell instagram?

Report it to Instagram.

Best of luck with that, instagram responses are automated, worse than useless.

@nobeer - instagram response may be automated but police can't avoid you when you stand at the desk raising the issue with the desk sergeant.
Take note of collar number and if response is unacceptable/dismissive tell them clearly you will escalate to senior officer on duty before leaving the station.
Next step is escalation to crime commissioner and chief constable.
Sounds like overkill but it isn't; is your friend the only one on the receiving end of this?
Agree with TJ's suggestion about taking screenshots.

Delete your own insta account.

Start another.

Who do you think she's pissed off lately?

is your friend the only one on the receiving end of this?

Yes, it is an account that is pretending to be her, in her name, with photos of her. The posts could certainly be considered to be libellous, slanderous, abusive...

Everything has been screenshotted.

Police .

a friend at work got something similar .

someone was creating fake profiles on facebook , and then sending crude messages and pictures to her friends .

Took a few months but police git him .

turned out to be a work colleague ....

he only got a caution as it was first offence .

OP this isn't cool at all. Depending on your force will depend on how they treat it. There are laws being broken the communications act 2003 for a start. It depends where the"troll" is located too, as if it's foreign or hidden by VPN/proxy etc then you are screwed. Just hope Instagram sort it!!

@dmck - sorry, I didn't make my point clearly; it is possible that whoever is doing this is also doing the same to others so unless/until the police get involved no-one will know and the perpetrator will continue.

I had something similar and the police didn't want know, went up the tree shaking it still nothing.

Onlines the wild west apparently. (according to the plod around here)

Er.... tun off the computer and go out for a ride?

Instagram is owned by Facebook isn't it? I understand they (FB) often aren't interested in supporting investigations.
Sorry, I know that doesn't help much in the first instance...Instagram should pull it though?

Er.... tun off the computer and go out for a ride?

Er... don't be such a dick?

Er.... tun off the computer and go out for a ride?

Would that be your general advice for all victims of crime ?

Or just crimes that you clearly don't understand.

Sounds like good advice to me, maybe she just loves the drama too much? Or you the opportunity to white knight.

Funny how "the Internet" being in the equation immediately trivialises everything in some small brains, isn't it. You can be as nasty as you like because it's "not real." Here's a clue: all these words you see in front of you, they're typed by real people, just as the words you write are being read by real eyes attached to real brains.

If someone was being harassed by someone posting fake articles in newspapers, putting up posters around town, sending hate mail, would that be somehow more serious?

Sounds like good advice to me, maybe she just loves the drama too much? Or you the opportunity to white knight.

No. It's shit advice.

And I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but its people like you, trivialising the issue, that make it worse and create an environment where kids end up killing themselves due to online harassment.

Lat year met a family with a few teenager kids, young girl was being cyber bullied at school , school didnt take it seriously, her eductaion suffered, she got so upset etc, changed schools moved house , now going to college and doing well, but she and her family shouldnt have had to put up with this.

always report the scum and faceless warriors who do this before it escalates.

Thought we were talking about a grown woman?

globalti - Member
Er.... tun off the computer and go out for a ride?

tinribz - Member
Sounds like good advice to me, maybe she just loves the drama too much? Or you the opportunity to white knight.

I like many other folk think people who get that upset about cyberbullies are being thin skinned. However the effect on those being bullied is real no matter what we think. so yes - it needs to be taken seriously and dealt with thru the criminal justice system. It is after all a criminal offence

[quote>

Thought we were talking about a grown woman?

What difference does it make ?

Seriously, I'm interested to know why you think it's ok to harass someone online ?

I'm not really expecting a decent answer from someone Posting flippant YouTube clips as a comeback to someone mentioning people (of any age) committing suicide, but it would nice to be proved wrong.

@tj - are you differentiating between cyber bullying and old fashioned in yer face bullying?
Cyber bullying is insidious and even more cowardly because the perpetrator is hiding; could be a pissed-up keyboard warrior but that is irrelevant.
Would you think any friend of yours thin skinned if they were 'upset' as a direct result if cyber bullying?

I like many other folk think people who get that upset about cyberbullies are being thin skinned.

Come back when you're 14 and try again.

However the effect on those being bullied is real no matter what we think.

Quite. Why's it any different whether it's online or not, then?

'cos he's all manly and that, but has the good grace to pity those that aren't as awesome.

I like many other folk think people who get that upset about cyberbullies are being thin skinned.

Which is why it's such a big problem. Because deep down, no matter what they say out loud, too many people really don't give a shit.

And people suffer in silence because of that attitude.

Because they can tell people don't care, and the last thing they need is to expose yet another "weakness" and be told they need to "man up" 😐

This thread has unearthed some real gems.

This thread has unearthed some real gems.

By "gems" presumably you mean *****?

Frank - the point I was trying to make was that cyberbullying is real to those upset about it. Its the victims perception that matters not mine. Same as in my line of work - Pain is what the person suffering it says it is - not what I think it is

Barenessesities et al - read my second sentance and try to see what I meant. Its the person on the receiving ends perception that matters. If they think they are being bullied then they are.

I have been a victim of real world bullying and understand what bullying is both in the real world and online.

Note bearnessesities rather nasty personal attack on me? Is that cyber bullying? Not to me 'cos I am not upset but to others it might be.

OP. Worth reporting - both to instagram and police. Is not a good situation at all.

Cyber bullying is at minimum very unpleasant. My son suffered some from another child in his school. Started off with one, fairly ridiculous comment. Tried to shut it down online and within 2 weeks had escalated significantly. My son entirely an innocent party in all of it.

Got good support from the school; their actions helped diffuse the situation and right now, 6 weeks down the line, it seems to have quietened down.

But behind the anonymity of the internet it's amazing what people think they can say. Just make sh1t up.

OP - I sincerely hope it gets resolved. It's nasty.

Does that clarify my point? there is no objective measure of what bullying is - you can only define it subjectively by its effect on the victim. If the person on the receiving end thinks they are being bullied then they are.

During my previous incarnation on here many folk thought I was bullied ( lots of emails and so on in support). I didn't because I didn't feel like a victim. Couple of folk thought I was a bully

I made no value judgement in what I said but several of you saw one. I clearly stated "However the effect on those being bullied is real no matter what we think" ie its the victims perceptions that count.

@TJ - thanks for your clarification but.....your post contained mixed messages.
How can we tell what impact cyber bullying has on an individual?
It could be clear and visible; it could have a less visible affect by chipping away at self-confidence; feeling unsafe and/or threatened.
I would work on the basis that cyber bullying will have an impact even if it is not immediately evident.

there is no objective measure of what bullying is - you can only define it subjectively by its effect on the victim

Well that's patently gibberish.

Bullying is quite clearly defined around the behaviour of the instigator, not the victim.

Taken from any school's Anti Bullying policy if you car to search for it:

Bullying is repeated intimidation that is carried out by a more powerful person or group in order to cause physical, emotional or psychological harm to a less powerful person or group. Bullying can take a variety of forms including: physical, verbal (name calling, teasing, spreading rumours), damage or theft of property, exclusion from a group. Bullying should not be confused with other aggressive behaviour. The Local Authority’s Bullying Guidelines state that “it is not bullying when two children of approximately the same age and strength have the occasional fight or quarrel”.

Internet harassment does take place "in the real world" and the offender is probably someone she knows in real life.

OP good luck to you and to your friend. Bullies should always be stood up to/against - they are the weak ones after all.

Sadly those who are bullied end up becoming bullies themselves, hiding behind their own victim tag. This makes it hard for them to take responsibility for their own actions. The internet is the perfect playground.

Best wishes.

tinribz - Member
Sounds like good advice to me, maybe she just loves the drama too much? Or you the opportunity to white knight.

Note bearnessesities rather nasty personal attack on me? Is that cyber bullying? Not to me 'cos I am not upset but to others it might be.

You're right, it was nasty. I know you said it didn't upset you, but denying that, says to me that it must have. I'm so sorry. I hope you work through your problems.

If it helps, it's good to talk on here - plenty of folk are happy to listen and offer support.

Wow, what a prize you are!
Sad, pathetic little man.

No real excuse for the name calling there, is there?
I'm sure you're not intending to post bullying statements, but....

Bearnessesities - now that gave me a little s****. thanks

It's quite funny that a topic about cyber bullying ends up with people posting insults and personal attacks on other people 😆

Bullying is repeated intimidation that is carried out by a more powerful person or group in order to cause physical, emotional or psychological harm to a less powerful person or group.

Not sure I agree with that statement about the bullies being the more powerful person, I suppose they could be seen as being more powerful but in reality they are the weak ones as all bullies will have problems or insecurities which makes them pick on other people.

I've read articles about bullying whuch suggest it's not always the case that bullies are themselves insecure, sometimes they're the opposite - not sure what the term would, narcissistic, egotistical, whichever - and sometimes they're just inherently unpleasant people.