Step-by-step guidance for students, parents, and schools dealing with online harassment, cyberbullying, or digital reputation attacks. You are not alone — and there are concrete steps you can take.
Select the situation closest to yours and we'll walk you through exactly what to do.
Whether you are a student going through this, a parent trying to help, or an educator managing an incident at school — we have guidance for you.
Dealing with online harassment, impersonation, or someone spreading lies about you at school? You're not alone, and there are real steps you can take to protect yourself.
Your child is being targeted online and you're not sure what to do or where to start. We'll help you understand the situation and take calm, effective action.
Online harassment is spilling into your school environment. Get practical guidance on how to respond, document, and support students and families.
ORDER (Online Reputation Defense & Education Resource) is a nonprofit providing clear, practical guidance for students, families, and educators navigating online harassment situations.
Clear, easy-to-follow instructions for the most common online harassment situations — no legal jargon, no confusing terms.
Direct guidance for reporting harassment on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, Discord, and more.
How to properly document harassment so that evidence is preserved if it's ever needed — including common mistakes to avoid.
Guidance for parents and educators on how to respond, communicate, and support students going through online harassment.
Honest answers to hard questions about cyberbullying, defamation, and anonymity — in clear language without legal advice.
A full map of all resources on this site so you can find exactly what you need, even when you're overwhelmed or unsure.
If something harmful is happening to you online right now, take a breath. You're in the right place. Follow these five steps in order.
It is completely understandable to feel angry, hurt, scared, or overwhelmed when you discover that someone is attacking you or spreading lies about you online. These feelings are valid. However, responding immediately while emotional almost always makes the situation worse.
When you respond in anger, you can create additional evidence that the harasser can use against you, escalate the situation by giving them the reaction they want, or say something that could complicate your options later.
Before you report anything or try to get content removed, it is critical to document what is happening. Once you report a post, it may be removed or hidden — and if you need that evidence later, it could be gone forever.
Documentation means creating a clear, organized record of the harassment: what was said or posted, by whom (if known), when it happened, and where it appeared.
Documentation is writing down what happened. Preserving evidence means capturing a permanent copy of the actual content — screenshots, saved files, and records you can refer back to even if the original is deleted or hidden.
Most major social media platforms and apps have built-in reporting tools that allow you to flag content that violates their rules. Harassment, impersonation, threats, and non-consensual sharing of images all typically violate platform policies.
Reporting is important for two reasons: it can lead to the content being removed or the account being suspended, and it creates an official record of your complaint with the platform.
Dealing with online harassment alone is hard. It is okay — and important — to reach out for help. This might mean talking to a parent, school counselor, trusted teacher, or friend. If the harassment is severe or you are experiencing emotional distress, professional counseling may also be helpful.
You should not have to go through this alone, and asking for help is not a sign of weakness — it is the right thing to do.
Select the situation that best matches what you're experiencing. Each page provides plain-language guidance specific to that type of online harassment.
Our "Start Here" page walks through five steps that apply to almost every online harassment situation, regardless of what's happening.
Cyberbullying is serious and can feel overwhelming. Here's what it looks like, how to respond, and what to do if it escalates.
False statements online can spread fast and cause real harm. Here's how to understand the situation and take effective, calm action.
Impersonation accounts can spread false information, damage your reputation, and violate platform rules. Here's what to do.
Having private images or messages shared without your consent is a serious violation. There are steps you can take to request removal and document what happened.
Several platforms have dedicated reporting paths for non-consensual image sharing:
See our full Reporting Tool Directory for more detail by platform.
In Canada, sharing intimate images without consent is a specific criminal offence under section 162.1 of the Criminal Code (added in 2015 as part of Bill C-13). This law applies to everyone — not just minors. ORDER cannot provide legal advice, but we want you to be aware of the following:
Coordinated harassment — where multiple people target you at once — can feel impossible to manage. Here's how to understand and respond to it calmly.
Coordinated or group harassment happens when multiple people join together to target an individual — often organized in private group chats, Discord servers, Reddit threads, or comment sections.
When harassment comes from multiple sources, documentation becomes even more important — and more complex. You're not just documenting individual posts, but a pattern.
The goal of many smear campaigns is to provoke a reaction — something that can then be screenshot, shared, and used to make you look worse. Avoiding escalation is not about accepting the harassment; it's about protecting yourself from making the situation harder to resolve.
Understanding how content removal works — and what to do when it doesn't work the first time.
Social media platforms and websites are generally under no legal obligation to remove content simply because it is offensive or hurtful — unless it violates their specific terms of service or applicable law. This can be frustrating, but understanding it will help you focus your energy effectively.
Content is most likely to be removed when it:
If your initial report is dismissed or the content isn't removed, you are not out of options:
Step-by-step instructions for reporting harassment, impersonation, and harmful content on the platforms where it most commonly occurs.
Facebook has reporting options for harassment, bullying, impersonation, and hate speech on posts, profiles, and groups.
Instagram allows reporting of posts, stories, reels, comments, messages, and profiles for harassment or impersonation.
TikTok has reporting for videos, comments, accounts, and live streams that violate community guidelines.
Snapchat allows reporting of Snaps, Stories, and user profiles for harassment or impersonation.
YouTube allows reporting of videos, comments, and channels for harassment, hate speech, or privacy violations.
Reddit allows reporting of posts, comments, and profiles, and has specific anti-harassment policies.
Google allows flagging of reviews that are fake, defamatory, or in violation of Google's review policies.
Discord allows reporting of harassment, servers used for organized harassment, and accounts violating community guidelines.
Platforms process millions of reports daily. Your report may take time to be reviewed, and content may not always be removed even when reported. If an initial report is dismissed, you can appeal or re-report. If the situation involves safety threats or potential legal violations, additional options may be available — consult a qualified Canadian lawyer for advice specific to your situation.
Good documentation can make a significant difference. Learn how to collect, preserve, and organize evidence before it disappears.
A screenshot is only useful as evidence if it shows the right information. Before you capture any screenshot, make sure the following are visible in the frame:
In online harassment situations, the identity of the person is critical information. Always capture:
A URL is the web address where content lives. Saving URLs means you have a record of exactly where something was posted — even if the content itself is later deleted.
A timeline is a chronological record of everything that has happened. This is especially important if harassment is ongoing or escalating. Your timeline should include:
A simple notes document or spreadsheet works well for this purpose. Keep it updated as new incidents occur.
In some harassment situations — particularly direct messages or text — the full context of a conversation matters. Here's how to preserve it:
You may be feeling scared, angry, or unsure of what to do. That's completely normal. Here's a calm, clear guide for parents navigating online harassment.
The first and most important thing you can do is make sure your child feels safe talking to you without fear of having their phone or accounts taken away. Many children stay silent about harassment because they are afraid of losing access to their social life.
If the harassment involves school classmates or is affecting your child's ability to attend or participate in school, you have the right to bring this to the school's attention — even if it's happening outside school hours.
Online harassment can cause significant emotional distress. Watch for these signs that your child may need professional support:
If you notice these signs, consider contacting your child's pediatrician, a school counselor, or a licensed therapist. Crisis support is available through the Kids Help Phone: text CONNECT to 686868 (Canada, 24/7). Suicide & Crisis Helpline: call or text 9-8-8 (Canada).
Practical guidance for educators, counselors, and administrators on responding to cyberbullying and online harassment incidents.
When a cyberbullying or online harassment incident comes to your attention, a consistent, documented response process protects both students and the school. Consider following this general framework:
Thorough documentation protects students, protects the school, and creates a record that may be necessary if the situation escalates.
Parent communication in cyberbullying situations requires sensitivity and care. Best practices include:
The student who experienced harassment needs consistent, ongoing support — not just an incident response. Consider:
Schools often struggle with where their authority begins and ends when harassment happens off-campus. While laws vary by state and jurisdiction, general principles include:
Honest, plain-language answers to the questions we hear most often. Remember: ORDER does not provide legal advice.
A full overview of ORDER's current structure, navigation, and roadmap for future growth.
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These features would significantly enhance the site's impact and are organized by suggested priority.
A keyword search tool so distressed users can find relevant guidance quickly without navigating menus. Especially valuable on mobile for users in crisis.
Expanded individual guides for each major platform — including BeReal, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, and gaming platforms like Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam.
Translations into Spanish, French, Mandarin, and other commonly spoken languages in the communities most likely to experience online harassment.
Downloadable PDF checklists and guides — including an evidence log template, school reporting guide, and parent conversation starter — for use without internet access.
A customizable cyberbullying policy template that schools can adapt for their specific needs — developed in consultation with education law experts.
A tool that helps users find local or national crisis counseling resources based on their situation — mental health support, legal aid organizations, and victim advocacy groups.
An educational overview of cyberbullying and harassment laws by U.S. state — always with a clear disclaimer that it is educational, not legal advice.
A moderated peer support community where students and parents can share experiences and strategies — with strong content moderation and mental health safeguards.
A free, self-paced online course for teachers and school counselors on identifying and responding to cyberbullying — potentially certifiable for professional development hours.
Regular content covering platform policy changes, new laws, emerging harassment tactics, and success stories — keeping the site current and building SEO.
A short quiz or decision tree that helps users identify their situation and receive a customized, step-by-step action plan — especially helpful for overwhelmed first-time visitors.
Full WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance — including proper ARIA labels, keyboard navigation, sufficient color contrast, and screen reader optimization.