Responding to and Reporting Technology-Enabled Abuse

If you identify that you or someone you know is a victim of technology-enabled abuse, there are many options to consider. The WVU Office of Equity Assurance and the legal system work independently, but in coordination. You may file a report with the University, law enforcement, with both, or with neither. The standards for determining a violation of criminal law are different than the standard in WVU’s grievance procedures. Neither the results of a criminal investigation nor the decision of law enforcement on whether to investigate determines whether a violation of the University’s policy has occurred.

Report the abuse to the appropriate company

Most online social media services and dating apps have a way to report online harassment and abuse through their online help centers. Information about reporting to popular social media and dating application can be found below:

TikTok

TikTok’s Community Guidelines prohibits hateful and abusive behavior, hateful ideology, sexual harassment, doxing, hacking, and blackmail.

• Report a problem to TikTok including abusive messages, posts, accounts, and comments either individually or in bulk.

Twitter

Twitter offers several options to address unwanted contact. You can report an account, a tweet, a DM, a list, or a conversation. Twitter offers a range of enforcement options. Users can:

• Unfollow anyone who sends you a tweet or replies to a tweet with a comment you don’t like.

• Block the user to stop them from further contacting you.

• Report someone who continues to send you unwanted replies or threats. Twitter provides separate reporting mechanisms for harassing or abusive behavior, impersonation, and doxing/exposing private info.

Snapchat

If someone is taking screenshots of your images without permission, sending pictures without permission, or sending negative comments, doing the following actions will prevent them from sending you snaps or chat or from viewing your content:

• Block a friend to ensure they won’t be able to view your Story or Charms or send you Snaps or Chats.

• Removing a friend on Snapchat removes them from your friends list so they won’t be able to view your private Stories or Charms but they will be able to view any content you have set to public.

• To block someone who added you on Snapchat, tap the “added me” on the Profile Screen, tap their name and the Wheel Icon next to their name, and press block.

Report abuse to Snapchat by completing their online form.

Facebook

Facebook insists that they do not tolerate bullying or abuse and that, once aware, they will remove content and may disable the account. Facebook will not tolerate pages that identify and shame private individuals, images that have been altered to degrade private individuals, photos or videos of physical bullying posted to shame a victim, sharing personal information to blackmail or harass people, or repeatedly targeting other people with unwanted friend requests or messages.

• When you Unfriend a person they will not be notified. Unfriending will still allow the person to see the public portions of your profile, add you as a friend, or send you a message.

• Block a person to prevent them from tagging your profile or seeing things you post on your profile.

• Use the report links that appear on the page to report profiles, images, posts, videos, DMs, pages, groups, ads, event, or comments or Report Abuse through Facebook’s Help Center.

Instagram

If someone on Instagram is sending you negative comments, has created a fake profile, or has hacked into your account, Instagram’s advice is to block and unfollow the person.

• After you block someone on Instagram their likes and comments will be removed from your photos and videos; however, people that you block can still see your likes and comments on posts that were shared by public accounts or accounts you mutually follow. A blocked person will not be able to mention your username or tag you.

• If the abuse continues, report the user to Instagram through their help center. You can report abusive messages, posts, comments, and accounts. There are also separate reporting mechanisms for abuse/spam content, bullying or harassment, impersonation, and exposed private information (doxing).

WhatsApp

WhatsApp prohibits submitting content that’s illegal, obscene, defamatory, threatening, intimidating, harassing, hateful, racially or ethnically offensive, or instigates or encourages conduct that would be illegal or otherwise inappropriate.

• Blocking and reporting a contact will prevent messages, calls, and status updates from showing up on your phone and prevent your last seen, online status updates, and changes made to your profile will no longer be visible to the contact. However, blocking the user won’t remove them from your contact list or vice versa. Blocked contacts will be able to see your comments in any groups you are both in, so do not participate in any groups with people you do not wish to communicate with.

• If you report the person but do not block them, they can still send you texts, messages, or voice notes. Reporting a user or group will automatically send to WhatsApp the last five messages sent to you by the reported user or group as well as the reported group or user ID, information on when the message was sent, and the type of message sent (image, video, text, etc.).

• You can also Report and Exit a group or community.

YouTube

YouTube’s Community Guidelines warn against posting videos containing content that is hateful, sexual, violent, graphic, dangerous, or threatening. You can report a video, playlist, thumbnail, comment, live chat message, or channel.

• Flag content that violates community standards and report abusive users via YouTube’s reporting tool.

Bumble

Bumble encourages users to report anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe such as threats to your safety, health, or wellbeing; derogatory language or hate speech; excessive or harassing messages; unsolicited or nonconsensual sexual images or content; or spam or external links.

• Report someone directly in the Bumble app via the person’s profile or within your conversation with them.

Hinge

Hinge encourages you to report anyone who isn’t meeting their three requirements for membership: (1) someone looking for a relationship, (2) that is kind to others, and (3) is authentic. They have a zero-tolerance policy for behavior that is lewd, disrespectful, discriminatory, threatening, or harassing.

• Report someone by selecting the three dots at the top right and tap Report.

Tinder

Tinder has a zero-tolerance policy on harassment and encourages users to report misconduct. Tinder will remove content, ban users, or notify appropriate law enforcement resources.

• Report instances of abuse and/or assault via the self-reporting tool features on all Tinder profiles or by contacting their team online.

Document the abuse

Save all communications with the stalker for evidence—do NOT edit the communications in any way. If the harasser posts comments online, take screenshots, keep copies, and consider unpublishing the content rather than deleting it. Save texts, phone calls, and voicemails, take screenshots, and create a log with details. Make sure to include the date, time, location, suspected technology involved, a brief description, and note any witnesses. Save your evidence in multiple places, even physical locations. Consider using this incident and behavior log form from the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, & Resource Center (SPARC) to document the abuse.

Plan for your personal safety

Throwing away devices, closing accounts, and otherwise ending an abuser’s access could escalate their behavior. Before you rid yourself of a camera or GPS tracker, think about how the abuser might respond and be sure you have a plan for your physical well-being, including an ally and a safe place to go where the abuser cannot access you.

If the person is publishing harmful information about you in other online spaces, complain to the moderator or online system administrators. Keep a record of all your communications with that person.

• Block or filter communications from the harasser, including calls, texts, and online messages. Social media platforms all offer advice on how to block communications. You can also block senders from your MIX Gmail account.

• Tell your family, friends, and employer that someone is stalking you online.

• Keep a record of all communications with law enforcement.

Always trust your instincts. If you suspect that someone knows too much about you or your activities, it is possible that you are being monitored.

Get assistance

• Visit the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’s Resources and Reporting Options page to review your options.

• Students, faculty, and staff can report cyberstalking to the University by calling the Equity Assurance and Title IX office at 304-293-5600 or by filing a report online. Abuse or harassment can also be reported to the University Police Department at 304-293-3136 or to other law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction over the crime.

• Keep in mind that all faculty and staff at West Virginia University are considered responsible employees (except counselors and pastoral staff, who are exempt from reporting and maintain confidential status). This means that when a Title IX related or other forms of discrimination and harassment incident are disclosed to them, they must report it to the University to ensure the safety of the individual and the campus community. However, all WVU employees who are aware of Prohibited Conduct are encouraged to report such conduct and File A Complaint.

• When an individual has experienced harm or is a party to an investigation, the Office of Equity Assurance can also assist students with a number of supportive measures, including but not limited to:

  • Access to counseling services

  • On-Campus No Contact Directive

  • Rescheduling exams/ assignments

  • Providing alternate course options

  • Changing class/work schedules

  • Changing work/job assignments

  • Temporary suspension to campus facilities/housing

  • Limit access to certain privileges and events

  • Escort to ensure safety

  • Medical care

  • Tutoring

  • University-imposed leave or suspension

  • Alternative housing options