If someone is doing or saying things online to a child or young person under 18, or to you as an adult, or sharing private content without permission, it is important to get help. Remember, if you are being threatened, it is not your fault and it is important to get help.
Websites and apps have rules to stop abuse, but sometimes that won’t be enough and you need to get help somewhere else. If the website or app hasn’t helped or in very cases, you can contact the eSafety Commission and ask for help.
The eSafety Commission has the authority to request the removal of harmful content and can issue penalties if they don’t do so. The eSafety Commission can also help to learn ways to stay safe, cope with online incidents, and get support.
The eSafety Commission needs information to decide if the matter is serious and needs to be investigated. You need to answer their questions and cooperate with them.
Things you should do:
To report an incident to eSafety, the police, or an online platform, gather evidence like the web page URL and the person’s details. Screenshots are a good way to do that. Fill out the online form and include as many details as you can. Image-based abuse reports can be anonymous. If you want to be told what happens, you will need to include your contact details.
Report cyberbullying or adult cyber abuse to the platform first so they can quickly remove it. Use the eSafety Guide to report the service.
Block the person and use in-app functions to ignore, hide, or block the person. Collect evidence and update your privacy settings. Don’t share illegal content. If you are under 18, visit you can get help at https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/; if you are over 18, visit https://stopncii.org/ for more information.
You should get help from a counsellor or someone else you trust.
The eSafety Commission will try to reply to you within two business days for cyberbullying, adult cyber abuse, or image-based abuse reports. Removal of child sexual abuse material is a priority and targeted to be completed within the same timeframe.
Call the Translating and Interpreting Service at 131 450 for information in another language.
Visit the National Relay Service or call 133 677 for TTY and voice calls if you have hearing or speech impairment.
You can read more on the eSafety website How to report abuse or content to eSafety