Abuse Resources | Facebook Help Center

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Abuse Resources

We have zero tolerance for any behavior that puts people in danger, whether someone is organizing or advocating real-world violence or bullying other people. Please visit our Community Standards to understand what type of sharing is allowed on Facebook, and what type of content may be reported to us and removed. Learn how to report abuse .

Safety resources & ways to stay safe on Facebook

Here are a few things you can do to stay safe on Facebook:

Learn how to use Facebook's settings to comfortably share and connect with others.

Learn how to recognize sensitive content and behavior and how to report it .

Remember these simple rules about staying safe online:

Never share your password.

Think before you post.

Adjust your privacy settings and review them often.

Only accept friend requests from people you know personally.

Report things that look suspicious.

Learn more about internet safety from these resources:

Facebook's Bullying Prevention Hub provides resources and tips that help teens, parents and educators deal with bullying and its consequences.

MTV's A Thin Line : This campaign empowers kids to identify, respond to and stop the spread of digital abuse in their own lives. The campaign is built on the understanding that there's a "thin line" between what may begin as a harmless joke and something that could end up having a serious impact.

Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) works to track and bring offenders to account either directly or in partnership with local and international forces.

Childnet International works to track and bring offenders to account either directly or in partnership with local and international forces.

Commonsense.org provides trustworthy information and education to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology.

ConnectSafely.org is an online forum that gives teens and parents a voice in the public discussion about youth online. It also offers many other resources, such as social-media safety tips for teens and parents.

Cyberbullying Research Center provides up-to-date information about cyberbullying among adolescents and serves as a center of information about the ways adolescents use and misuse technology.

FOSI.org works to make the online world safer for families by encouraging best practices and tools that respect free expression in the field of online safety.

NCMEC.org serves as the US’s resource on missing and sexually exploited children. It provides information and resources to law enforcement and other professionals, parents and children, including child victims.

OnguardOnline.gov is a program of the US's Federal Trade Commission that provides practical tips to avoid internet fraud.

UK Council for Internet Safety is a collection of research about internet safety.

WiredSafety has tools to help young people make smart media and technology choices. Three of their popular programs are STOP cyberbullying , Teenangels and WiredCops .

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How to handle bullying, harassment, or personal attack on Facebook

If you feel you're in immediate danger, contact your local authorities for help.

We're sorry if you're having a bad experience on Facebook, and we want to help. Depending on how serious a situation is, you can:

Unfriend the person's profile.

Block the profile. This will prevent the profile from adding you as a friend and viewing things you share on your timeline.

Report the person or any abusive things they post. We take things down on Facebook if they go against our Community Standards .

If someone is bothering you in messages on Facebook, learn more about what you can do.

Additional Tips

The best protection against bullying is to learn how to recognize it and how to stop it. Here are some tips:

Don’t retaliate. Most bullies are looking for a reaction, so don't give them one.

Don’t keep it a secret. Reach out to someone you trust, like a close friend, family member, counselor or teacher, who can give you the help and support you need.

Document and save. If someone has posted something you don’t like, you can print or take a screenshot of it in case you need to share it with someone you trust later.

Visit Facebook's Bullying Prevention Hub for more information, tools and resources.

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How to handle dares or challenges on Facebook

We worked with ConnectSafely.org on the following answer.

Although videos and other types of posts that mention dares, challenges or nominations don't necessarily go against Facebook's Community Standards , we know that some people might feel uncomfortable in these difficult situations. If someone ever asks or nominates you on Facebook to do something that you’re not comfortable with, don’t do it.

There are several options for responding to these posts:

Untag yourself: If someone nominated you by tagging you in a post, you can untag yourself .

Remove something posted on your timeline: If someone posted directly on your timeline, you can remove the post from your timeline .

Block the person who nominated or challenged you: You can block the person who nominated you so they can't tag or message you.

Change your settings to review tags added to your posts: Turn on tag review to review tags that other people add to your posts.

Change your settings to review tagged posts on your timeline: Turn on timeline review to manually approve posts you're tagged in before they appear on your timeline.

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How to handle threats to share nude or sexual images of you on Instagram

We want to help you find support and take action if you need to. We worked with the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative and ConnectSafely.org on this list of things you can do and organizations you can reach out to for support and advice.

Start here

If someone is threatening to share things you want to keep private, asking you to send them money or anything else, you have options:

Document the post: You may need a record of the post if you decide to take further action. Learn how to take a screenshot.

Report this to local law enforcement.

Report this to Facebook. Sharing or threatening to share intimate images goes against our Community Standards . If someone is threatening to share things you want to keep private (example: messages, photos, videos), asking you to send money or asking you to do something else you're uncomfortable with, please report this to us.

Block this person . Depending on your privacy settings, people on Facebook can see a list of your Facebook friends. Once you block someone, they no longer have access to your friend list and won't be able to start conversations with you or see things you post on your profile.

Remember that if somebody asks you to share something you're not comfortable with you have the right to say no.

If you're under 18

If you're under 18, we recommend also talking with a parent or other adult you trust to help you think through what to do. You can also talk to a school counselor or administrator who you feel comfortable with.

What you can do next

Contact a crisis helpline or chat service. These can be found all over the US and in many other countries. This is a good option if you want to remain anonymous while deciding what to do. Crisis lines can also often refer you to a victim advocate or other legal adviser near you.

Talk with a victim advocate or social worker in your town or city. In the US, there are victim advocates in county offices, police stations, domestic violence prevention centers, rape crisis centers, sheriff's offices and offices of state attorneys general. Victim advocates can help you gather evidence, figure out how to keep you safe and get a civil protection or anti-stalking order against the person threatening you. If you're in the US, call the National Organization for Victim Assistance at 1-800-TRY-NOVA/800-879-6682 or go to www.trynova.org/ .

Contact a legal aid society or organization near you for free advice.

Ask a lawyer or other counselor for advice.

Where to find additional support

If you, or a friend, are being harassed or harmed online, these organizations should be able to provide support. Many of them offer resources and support specifically for situations when intimate images have been shared without consent. If you're concerned about a friend, please encourage them to reach out directly to the organization as well.

If you or a friend are having thoughts about suicide or self-injury, please contact local emergency services or a suicide helpline instead.

Austria

Safer Net

https://www.saferinternet.at/

Belgium

Child Focus

http://www.childfocus.be/fr/exploitation-sexuelle/sextortion

Brazil

Safernet

http://www.safernet.org.br/site/webline

Canada

Kids Help Phone

https://kidshelpphone.ca/

MediaSmarts

http://mediasmarts.ca

YWCA Canada

http://ywcacanada.ca/en

Croatia

HRABRI Telefon

http://www.hrabritelefon.hr/

116 111

Centar Za Sigurniji Internet

https://www.csi.hr/

0800 606 606

Cyprus

Cyber Ethics

http://www.cyberethics.info/gr/

Czech Republic

Czech Safer Internet Centre

http://www.saferinternet.cz/

Denmark

Bornetelefonen

https://bornetelefonen.dk/

116 111

Red Barnet

https://redbarnet.dk/

Finland

Naisten Linja

https://www.naistenlinja.fi/

0800 02400

Mannerheimin Lastensuojeluliitto

https://www.nuortennetti.fi/

116 111

Chat: Open from Monday to Wednesday, 17:00 - 20:00

France

Centre Hubertine Auclert

https://www.centre-hubertine-auclert.fr/stop-cybersexisme

Net Ecoute

http://www.netecoute.fr/

0800 200 000

Stop violences femmes

http://www.stop-violences-femmes.gouv.fr/

Germany

klicksafe

http://www.klicksafe.de/

N.I.N.A. (Nationale Infoline, Netzwerk und Anlaufstelle zu sexueller Gewalt an Mädchen und Jungen)

https://nina-info.de/

0800 22 55 530 (The Independent Commissioner for Child Sexual Abuse Issues)

Innocence en Danger

http://www.innocenceindanger.de/hilfehotlines/

+49 (0) 30 33007549 (counseling line)

+49 (0) 30 33007538 (regular line)

Greece

Hamogelo

https://www.hamogelo.gr/gr/el/home/

1056

India

Centre for Social Research

http://www.csrindia.org

Ireland

ISPCC Childline

https://www.childline.ie/

Women's Aid

https://www.womensaid.ie/

1800 341 900

Israel

Eran

http://www.eran.org.il/

Italy

Telefono Azzurro

http://www.azzurro.it/

19696

Kenya

Childline Kenya

http://www.childlinekenya.co.ke/index.php

254724555251

Luxembourg

BEE Secure

https://www.bee-secure.lu/

Mexico

Fundación Sofia

https://www.facebook.com/Fundación-Sofía-México-397241687117839

Netherlands

Blijf Groep

https://www.blijfgroep.nl/

088 234 24 50

Help Wanted

https://www.helpwanted.nl/

de Kindertelefoon

https://www.kindertelefoon.nl/

Norway

Kors på halsen (for children and youth under 18)

https://www.korspahalsen.no/

800 33 321

Poland

116 111 Telefon Zaufania dla Dzieci i Młodzieży (Fundacja Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę)

https://116111.pl/

116 111

Chat: https://116111.pl/artykul/czat

Portugal

Internet Segura

http://www.internetsegura.pt/

800 21 90 90

South Africa

Center for Justice and Crime Prevention

021 685 2659

Spain

Fundación Anar

https://www.anar.org/

Pantallas Amigas

http://www.pantallasamigas.net/

Internet Segura 4 Kids (IS4K)

https://www.is4k.es/

900 116 117

Sweden

Bris

https://www.bris.se/

0771 50 50 50

United Kingdom

The UK Safer Internet Centre

https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/

Revenge Porn Helpline

https://revengepornhelpline.org.uk/

0345 600 0459

Women's Aid

https://www.womensaid.org.uk/

0808 2000 247

Ukraine

La Strada Ukraine (National hotline for preventing domestic violence, human trafficking and gender discrimination)

https://www.facebook.com/childhotline.ukraine/ (children's helpline)

0 800 500 225 (free throughout Ukraine)

116 111 (free of charge from mobile phones, open Monday - Friday, 12:00 to 20:00 and Saturday, 12:00 to 16:00)

https://www.facebook.com/lastradaukraine/ (adult helpline)

0 800 500 335 (free throughout Ukraine)

116 123 (free of charge from mobile phones, open 24 hours a day)

United States

Cyber Civil Rights Initiative

https://www.cybercivilrights.org/

844 878 2274

National Network to End Domestic Violence

http://nnedv.org/

Latin America

Acoso.Online

https://acoso.online/

For all other countries, please contact:

Love Is Respect

http://www.loveisrespect.org/

Without My Consent

http://www.withoutmyconsent.org/

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Ways to handle a relationship that makes you uncomfortable on Instagram

We worked with ConnectSafely.org on the following answer.

First, never agree to anything that makes you uncomfortable. Even if someone seems like a friend, they’re not a friend if they’re trying to get you to do anything against your will or best interests.

It’s hard to make a good decision when you’re upset or confused, so you should be as clear as possible in your own mind about what is and isn’t in your own interests. If you need help with this, talk to someone you trust like a close friend, family member or counselor.

If you receive any unwanted sexual comments or communication on Facebook, the best thing you can do is remove yourself from the conversation. If it doesn’t stop immediately, you should block the person and report the abusive content to Facebook .

If someone is asking you to share nude or sexually explicit photos of yourself on Facebook, the simplest answer you can give them is, "No. It’s not allowed on Facebook." Sharing nude or sexually explicit photos on Facebook goes against our Community Standards . You can also read more about what you can do if this happens.

If someone is threatening to share things you want to keep private , like messages or photos, or asking you to send them money or anything else, you should contact local law enforcement, block the person and report them .

If you’re under 18 and someone’s putting pressure on you that’s sex-related, contact local law enforcement or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children using the CyberTipline at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678 . They have advisers available 24/7 to help.

If this person is a relative or someone in your household and you need help, contact local law enforcement, go to https://ohl.rainn.org/online or call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) .

Learn more about staying safe on Facebook . If you're a teen, parent or teacher, you may also want to view tools and tips about bullying prevention.

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If your current or previous partner is controlling or monitoring your Facebook activity

What should I do if I see images on Facebook of a child being physically abused or sexually exploited?

Images and videos of children being physically abused or sexually exploited are against Facebook policies.

If you see images on Facebook of a child being physically abused or sexually exploited, we ask that you:

Please contact your local law enforcement immediately . They may be able to identify and rescue the child.

Report the photo or video to Facebook. You'll be able to check the status of your report from the Support Inbox. If you don't have a Facebook account or are blocked from seeing the content you want to report, you can ask a friend to help you.

Notify the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children using the CyberTipline: Visit https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678.

Don't share, download, or comment on the content. It can be criminal to share, or send messages with, photos and videos of children being sexually abused and exploited. You won't be asked to provide a copy of the content in any report.

More resources

Seeing an image or video of a child who has been abused can be distressing. We understand that people may be affected in different ways when they view these types of images, and we want to be sure that there are resources available for further support. Facebook has worked with a number of safety experts around the world to identify these resources, including social services and tips for reaching out to professionals.

If you, or a child you know, have been the victim of child physical or sexual abuse, or if you've witnessed child physical or sexual abuse and are interested in resources or support services, we encourage you to consider the resources provided by these organizations:

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) assists in cases of missing or exploited children throughout the world.

The International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) provides a list of international operational centers that work to assist in cases of missing or exploited children.

Child Helpline International is a global network of hotlines providing support and social services.

ECPAT is a global network of civil society organizations dedicated to fighting against the sexual exploitation of children.

UNICEF defends the rights of children across 190 countries.

We also offer resources if you need to report a missing person or runaway.

What should I do if someone posts something on Facebook related to human trafficking?

If you encountered content or photos that indicate someone is in immediate physical danger related to human trafficking, contact 911 or local law enforcement immediately. Then, please report this content to us .

Facebook is working with Polaris and the National Human Trafficking Hotline to provide resources and assist victims and survivors of human trafficking. To learn more about the signs of human trafficking, visit http://www.humantraffickinghotline.org or contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-3737-888 or text 233733 to learn about local resources and discuss options.

If you're a victim of human trafficking or would like resources to share with a potential victim, please review the following resources:

United States

National Human Trafficking Hotline

http://www.humantraffickinghotline.org

1-888-3737-888

233733 (text)

help@humantraffickinghotline.org

Cambodia

Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE) Cambodia

https://www.internethotlinecambodia.org

+855 92 311 511

reportabuse@internethotlinecambodia.org

Canada

Canadian Crime Stoppers

1-800-222-8477 (TIPS)

Colombia

RedPapaz

https://www.redpapaz.org/

+(57) 1 7563689

310 7561190

comunicaciones@redpapaz.org

Egypt

Atfal Mafkoda - Missing Children

http://www.atfalmafkoda.com

+201114444772

trafficking@atfalmafkoda.com

France

Ac.Sé (Dispositif National d'Accueil et de Protection des Victimes de la Traite)

http://www.acse-alc.org

+ 33 4 92 15 10 51

ac.se@association-alc.org

India

Shakti Vahini

https://shaktivahini.org/

+91-9582909025

Ireland

Ruhama

https://www.ruhama.ie/

+353 1 8360292

Confidential call-back service: text the word REACH to 50100

admin@ruhama.ie

Israel

Saleet

https://saleet4you.org

1-800-200-690

Latin America

Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition (BSCC)

http://www.bsccoalition.org

619-666-2757

info@bsccinfo.org

Mexico

Consejo Ciudadano para la Seguridad y Justicia de la Ciudad de México

Human Trafficking National Helpline

01800 5533 000

UNDC Mexico

http://www.aqui-estoy.org/

Netherlands

The Center Against Child Trafficking and Trafficking/Centrum tegen Kinderhandel en Mensenhandel (CKM)

https://www.ckm-fier.nl

088 – 20 80 000

Chat: https://www.fier.nl/chat

Philippines

Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT)

Action line website: https://www.1343actionline.ph/

http://iacat.gov.ph/

https://www.facebook.com/InterAgencyCouncilAgainstTrafficking/

Action line: 1343 (02-1343 if outside Metro Manila)

Portugal

Support Network for Migrant and Discrimination Victims (APAV – Portuguese Association for Victim Support)

https://www.apav.pt/uavmd/index.php/pt/

http://naoaotrafico.pt/pt/

English version: http://naoaotrafico.pt/en/

+351 21 358 79 14 (Weekdays from 10 am – 1 pm / 2 pm – 6 pm)

uavmd@apav.pt

Thailand

A21 Thailand

https://www.a21.org/content/thailand/

+66-2-136-6174

info.th@a21.org

Ukraine

La Strada-Ukraine

https://www.la-strada.org.ua/

International hotline: +3 8044 205 36 95

National toll-free hotline: 0 800 500 335 & 116 123

National child toll-free hotline: 0 800 500 225 & 116 111 (Monday to Friday)

info@la-strada.org.ua

United Kingdom

Unseen/Modern Slavery Helpline

https://www.modernslaveryhelpline.org/report

08000 121 700

Vietnam

Blue Dragon Children's Foundation

https://www.facebook.com/bluedragonvietnam/

info@bdcf.org

Global

Mission 89 (Protecting Young Athletes Against Trafficking in the Name of Sport)

https://mission89.org/

info@mission89.org

+41 79 957 9202 (Switzerland)

+33 625 39 9551 (France)

National Human Trafficking Resource Center

nhtrc@polarisproject.org

(They can help direct you to the most appropriate resources in your area.)

Stop The Traffik

https://www.stopthetraffik.org/

+44 (0) 207 921 4258

info@stopthetraffik.org

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Learn more about the Meta Safety Advisory Council

The Meta Safety Advisory Council is comprised of leading internet safety organizations from around the world. Meta consults with these organizations on issues related to online safety. Council members provide expertise, perspective and insights that inform our approach to safety.

Independence and Scope

Meta’s Safety Advisory Council is made up of independent online safety organizations and experts. Members provide expertise, perspective and insights that inform Meta's approach to safety. They do not act as spokespeople for Meta, and they are not responsible for, or to be held accountable for, review of every policy, product, tool, feature or company announcement. Nor is the Safety Advisory Council designed to examine topics or subjects that fall outside safety (e.g., algorithms, brand trust, artificial intelligence), except if and where there are points of intersection.

Funding

Meta may on occasion provide grants and funding in support of the mission and core objectives of various online safety organizations, including all the members of its Safety Advisory Council. Meta and the receiving expert or organization will be transparent about whether funding has been granted to an expert or organization. Safety Advisory Council members may refuse funding for any reason and it will not impact their membership on the Council.

Non-Disclosure Agreement

On occasion, when seeking the guidance of the Safety Advisory Council, Meta shares confidential information, such as information about future product launches, with the council’s members. Members sign a non-disclosure agreement. The agreement does not constrain the Safety Advisory Council’s members from openly expressing their broader views about Meta, no matter how critical, so long as they do not share confidential information.

Centre for Social Research (CSR)

Centre for Social Research (CSR) is an India-based nonprofit working on women's empowerment by conducting field research, providing capacity building and trainings, and advocating for legislative change. CSR actively uses social media to drive powerful social change campaigns and recently launched #SocialSurfing to train young people on safe, respectful and responsible usage of social media. Visit CSR at http://www.csrindia.org .

Childnet International

Childnet International is a UK-based charity working domestically and internationally to help make the internet a safe place for children and young people, enabling them to use interactive technologies safely and responsibly. Childnet International has developed a number of resources designed to help young people and parents assess and manage the risks they may encounter online. Visit Childnet International at http://www.childnet.com .

Connect Safely

ConnectSafely.org is a leading interactive resource on the internet for parents, teens, educators and everyone engaged and interested in online safety for youth. Visit Connect Safely at http://www.connectsafely.org .

Insight SA

Insight is group of experts working together to educate & empower children online, and promote and protect their rights. The organization works in multi-stakeholder partnership with institutions, industry, national governments, universities and NGOs worldwide to develop educational tools and services to empower young people as responsible digital citizens. Visit Insight SA at http://www.insight2act.net/ .

iWIN

iWIN (Institute of Watch Internet Network) is a non profit organization created by Taiwan's Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act. Established in 2013, iWIN's mission is to protect the children and youth from harmful contents on the internet through promoting digital literacy and industrywide self-regulation. iWIN serves as a platform for stakeholders from partner NGOs, subject matter experts, industry and relevant government bodies to jointly create a safer and informed online environment. Visit iWIN at https://i.win.org.tw .

National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)

The Safety Net Project of the US National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) is a leader in online safety for survivors of domestic violence, dating abuse, cyber-stalking and harassment. Based in Washington DC, NNEDV represents coalitions against domestic violence in every US state and territory and works to address technology and safety with sister organizations worldwide. Visit NNEDV at http://nnedv.org .

Net Family News

NetFamilyNews.org, a project of The Net Safety Collaborative (TNSC), is a blog that documents developments in the digital technology and media young people love and use most. In addition to its writing and consulting work, the organization has advised social media companies on digital safety and literacy for nearly a decade. Visit Net Family News at https://www.netfamilynews.org/ .

Netsafe

Netsafe is New Zealand’s independent, non-profit online safety organisation. Netsafe provides online safety education, advice and support for New Zealand internet users. Taking a technology-positive approach to the challenges digital technology presents, Netsafe works to help people in New Zealand take advantage of the opportunities available through technology by providing practical tools, support and advice for managing online challenges. Visit Netsafe at https://www.netsafe.org.nz .

PROJECT ROCKIT

PROJECT ROCKIT is Australia's youth-driven movement against bullying, hate and prejudice online. PROJECT ROCKIT is all about creating spaces where young people have access to respect, acceptance, creative expression and real social leadership. Since 2006, their workshops have helped young people celebrate technology, combat online hate and stand up to bullying instead of standing by. Through face-to-face workshops, an online curriculum and a digital program, 'PROJECT ROCKIT TV', hundreds of thousands of young people have been impacted and are mobilized to stand up and lead change. Visit PROJECT ROCKIT at https://www.projectrockit.com.au/ .

SaferNet Brazil

SaferNet Brazil is a non-profit organization founded in 2005 that focuses on building research and social projects to combat Human Rights violations online. Working together with civil society, industry, the government and law enforcement authorities, SaferNet aims to make the internet a responsible and ethical environment that allows children and adults to create, develop and build social relationships, knowledge and citizenship in a safe manner. Visit Safernet Brazil at http://www.safernet.org.br/ .

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