Reporting to platforms | OGBV RESOURCE TOOLKIT

When you come across any content that falls under the Online Gender Based Violence pipeline, it is important to note that Twitter has policies in place to combat online violence and this comes with their reporting tools.

Every tweet or page has a three-dot button for you to click and it gives you the option to report. After you click report, there are more than one options for you to pick according to the violations you see fit.

Twitter also has a reporting page specifically for users to elaborate on their report. You can find their reporting page here.

Twitter’s reporting tool isn’t always effective with content that is not in English. Because of this, utilising the reporting page is helpful in conveying to their moderators why the content you’re reporting is harmful.

What happens to the account after your report is received? Twitter finds this a legitimate reason for immediate suspension. These accounts will be permanently suspended if they are found to be the original poster of the relevant media.

When you utilise the reporting tool, you will receive an acknowledgement from Twitter that your report has been sent over and they are in the process of validating the content. Twitter will also send you an update over your report. This update will let you know if Twitter finds your report valid and what they have decided to do with the content.

You can refer more on their policy here.

Facebook has a reporting button that you can find by clicking on the three dots that appear on each page/post. Although they do not directly mention Online Gender Based Violence, Instagram and Facebook has strict policies against online harassment, bullying and abuse, as well as a strict policy against nudities with a few exceptions:

Photos, videos and some digitally created content that show sexual intercourse, genitals and close-ups of fully nude buttocks are against their community standard, including intimate images of others that were shared without permission. Some photos of female nipples are banned, but videos of post-mastectomy scarring and women actively breastfeeding are allowed.

You may view their policy here.

If a photo or a video is being shared and it violates your privacy, there is a specific form that you can fill to file a report to Facebook here.

Similar to Instagram, Facebook rarely alerts you on the status of your report, however, you can find the status in your Support Inbox.

You should also note that if you report content on Facebook, every report is anonymous and your identity will not be shared with the perpetrator.

Instagram and Facebook have similar, if not the same, reporting tools. Although they do not directly mention Online Gender Based Violence, Instagram and Facebook has strict policies against online harassment, bullying and abuse, as well as a strict policy against nudities with a few exceptions:

Photos, videos and some digitally created content that show sexual intercourse, genitals and close-ups of fully nude buttocks. Intimate images of others that were shared without permission. Some photos of female nipples, but videos of post-mastectomy scarring and women actively breastfeeding are allowed. Instagram may also remove videos that show nude or partially nude children... You can also report a profile for posting content it shouldn't be, pretending to be someone else or for being a child under the age of 13.

Instagram's reporting policy and guidelines are laid out here. You should also note that if you report content on Instagram, every report is anonymous, and your identity will not be shared with the perpetrator.

But I don't have an Instagram account, can I still report?

Yes, you can. If you don't have an Instagram account, you can file your reports by filling in this form.

Can I check the status of my report?

Yes, but only if you have an Instagram account and only if you have the app on your phone. This feature is not extended to its website and for non-Instagram users. Instagram rarely alerts you on the status of the post you've reported, however, you can check it on your own. Instagram has produced a step-by-step to assist you.

While Telegram has policies against those who abuse the platform to promote violence on publicly and illegal pornographic content, user can only report abusive content by sending them an email @ abuse@telegram.org

WhatsApp's terms and services noted that the app prohibits activities which includes "sharing content (in the status, profile photos, or messages) that's illegal, obscene, defamatory, threatening, intimidating, harassing, hateful, racially or ethnically offensive, or instigates or encourages conduct that would be illegal, or is otherwise inappropriate or violates our Terms of Service". Constant violation against WhatsApp's terms and services can result in a ban. WhatsApp is a telecommunication app, thus unlike social media platforms, its reporting tools tend to be limited and has no categorization.

When reporting someone on WhatsApp, WhatsApp takes the following actions:

WhatsApp receives the last five messages sent to you by the reported user or group, and they won’t be notified. WhatsApp also receives 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 choose to report an account by long pressing a single message.
- We may ban accounts if we believe the account activity is in violation of our Terms of Service. Per our Terms of Service, we may retain the right to ban the user without notification.
- Please be aware that a user report of conduct in violation of our Terms of Service won't necessarily result in us banning the user or otherwise taking action against the user.

You may find a guideline on how to report & block on WhatsApp depending on your mobile operating system.