5 Tips to Combat Online Harassment and Protect Yourself on Social Media: Unsafe Online

With the growing influence of social media in our lives, the risk of facing online harassment or abusive behavior on social media has become a major concern. Especially for women, who are often not only harassed in public, but also abused online. Protecting yourself from harassment on social media is crucial to maintaining a safe and positive online experience.

“Cybercrime against women has increased alarmingly in the past few years. The National Crime Record Bureau report released in December 2023 shows that the number of reported incidents increased by 11 percent in 2022 compared to the incidents reported in 2021,” the IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute said. “In 2022, over 3,400 cases of cybercrime related to sexual harassment or exploitation were reported in India. This was a significant increase compared to 2016 and 2017,” a report by Statista said.

So whether you’re an active user of platforms like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, protecting yourself from harassment on social media is very important. Here are some essential tips to help women protect themselves from harassment on social media and create a safer digital space.

5 Tips to Protect Yourself from Social Media Bullying

1. Protect your privacy

One of the first steps to protecting yourself from harassment on social media is to manage your privacy settings effectively. Start by reviewing the privacy settings on each platform you use. Set your profiles to private or restricted, so that only approved friends or followers can see your posts. This limits the exposure of your personal information to strangers and reduces the chance of unwanted interactions, according to the United Nations Development Programme.

Be careful what you share with others. Avoid posting sensitive information, such as your home address, phone number, or vacation plans, that could be misused by others.

2. Identify and address harassment

Recognizing harassment is essential to effectively addressing it. Harassment can take many forms, including threatening messages, insulting comments, or persistent unwanted contact. If you experience such behavior, document the incidents by taking screenshots or saving messages. This evidence can be useful if you need to report the harassment.

Report abuse to the platform’s support team. Most social media sites have mechanisms to report harassment and block or mute people who are causing a nuisance. Don’t hesitate to use these tools to protect yourself.

3. Avoid engaging in conversation with the harasser

If you are the target of online harassment, avoid engaging with the harasser. Reacting can often escalate the situation. Instead, use the platform’s features to block or mute the abusive user, which can help you regain control and lessen the emotional impact.

Reach out to trusted friends or family for support. Discussing the issue with someone you trust can provide emotional relief and practical advice. If the harassment is severe or involves threats of violence, contact your local police for help. (Women Helpline Numbers)

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4. Minimize exposure to negative content

You can take steps to limit your exposure to negativity online. Be selective about who you accept as friends or followers. Follow accounts that contribute positively to your online experience, and unfollow or mute accounts that spread negativity. Setting boundaries for your social media use is also important. Balancing your online and offline lives can help manage the impact of negative interactions.

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5. File a cybercrime complaint

If a woman is being harassed online, she should file a complaint with the cyber cell. “You can use the ‘Report Other Cyber ​​Crimes’ option on the portal to report other cyber crimes such as mobile crime, online and social media crime, online financial fraud, ransomware, hacking, cryptocurrency crime and online cyber trading. You need to register yourself with your name and a valid Indian mobile number. You will receive a One Time Password (OTP) on your mobile number. The OTP remains valid for only 30 minutes. After you have successfully registered your mobile number on the portal, you can report the complaint by selecting the appropriate category and sub-category,” the official National Cyber ​​Crime Reporting Portal said.

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