Online Reporting

The internet is a vast ocean of information and content. While many of us will go online and have a positive experience, we must accept that this is not always the case. Unfortunately, with every piece of insightful content we see, there are times when we can come across something hurtful, damaging or upsetting. The freedom that many of us can experience online can pave the way for many things but it shouldn’t come at the expense of harming others. So when we see something online that we know is harmful, it is time to take action and report it.

A lot of us can fall victim to online harm, being targeted with abuse, threats, harassment and unwanted sexual advances amongst many other things. Being targeted by a perpetrator of online harm can make us feel powerless, alone and without support. Despite this, reporting allows us to take back some control whilst getting support from those who can help!

Even if we aren’t being targeted ourselves, we’ve all seen something online that we know is hurting someone, somewhere. Rather than ignore it, reporting it is a small step towards showing perpetrators that this type of harmful behaviour will not be tolerated online.

Reporting at School

Developing a school community approach towards reporting can help build confidence  around students navigating the internet with a clear understanding of what to do when they come across something upsetting online. Services such as Report Harmful Content are available to anyone over the age of 13 but just encouraging young people to tell a trusted adult when they encounter harmful online content is an important first step to getting something reported. 

If your school wants to encourage reporting within the community, the Report Harmful Content Button can be placed on your school website which will signpost students over 13 towards support. As well, the anonymous communication tool Whisper can help students come forward to report issues and concerns they may be having, in a safe way that also protects their privacy.