Online Harassment
Being harassed online is a serious form of cyberbullying that is against the law.
If someone is making you feel unsafe or scared online it’s not ok
When someone tries to hurt you by saying or doing things online this is cyberbullying .
When it goes beyond teasing and you feel somebody is out to ‘get you’ online and you can’t escape, this is a form of online harassment.
- Being harassed online is never ok – in fact, it’s illegal
- Sometimes it can reach a point where things become unbearable – remember help is available
Online harassment can leave us feeling scared and alone
It’s never your fault that somebody is harassing you.
It could be a sign that you’re being harassed online when somebody does any of the following:
- Sends you messages even after you told them to stop
- Creates a fake profile and pretends to be you
- Spreads rumours or gossip about you online
- Sends you hurtful or scary messages or photos
- Deletes or edits your online accounts or posts
- Logs into your online accounts when you don’t want them to
When somebody tries to control you or makes you feel scared it’s a form of harassment
This behaviour is illegal and the person doing it can get into serious trouble.Here are some things you can do if you’re being harassed online:
Tell the person to stop and to leave you alone
Get a parent or adult to help you report it to Police or esafety.gov.au
Keep the emails, texts or pictures so you have a record of it
Call Kids Helpline and talk to a counsellor about it
Spend time doing other things you enjoy to get a break from it
Don’t give up – talk to somebody and get help
Report Online Harassment
You're not alone when it comes to dealing with online harassment! You can make a complaint to the Office of the eSafety Commissioner.
“I called Kids Helpline and they helped me feel better as well as giving me tips on what to do” – Julie, 12
It’s never too late to get help and there’s always something you can try
You are not alone. Kids Helpline is always here to help.
The counsellors at Kids Helpline are happy to talk with you about any issue, big or small. If you need somebody to talk to, give us a call, start a WebChat or send us an email.
You can also check out the eSafety website to learn more about online harassment and what you can do.
This content was last reviewed
