Technology facilitated abuse

Unfortunately, anyone can encounter negative experiences online, which can range from relatively minor issues, such as mild criticism or feedback, to more serious situations like cyberbullying, image-based abuse, or scams. There are resources available to help you understand technology-based abuse and its effects.

Types of online abuse

As many of us spend more time online, it is important to be aware of online safety, understand different types of abuse and what support is available.

• Cyber abuse

  Cyber abuse is behaviour that uses technology to threaten, intimidate, harass or humiliate someone, with the intent to hurt them socially, psychologically or even physically. It can take place in online classrooms, chat and messaging services, social media, text messages, emails, message boards and online forums. Cyber abuse can take a number of forms, including:

  Cyberstalking

  Can include false accusations, abusive comments, attempts to smear someone’s reputation, threats of physical/sexual violence or repeated unwanted sexual requests. Cyberstalking may also include monitoring, identity theft and gathering information that may be used to threaten, embarrass or harass. Cyberstalking is often accompanied by real-time or offline stalking. Cyberstalking can occur in a context of sexual assault, sexual harassment or family and domestic violence.

  Learn more about cyberstalking by visiting eSafety | Cyberstalking

  Trolling

  When someone is deliberately provocative or inflammatory online, they wait for people to take the bait. Examples include people making anti-social comments on online posts which satirise others with the aim of causing offence or provoking a reaction, or posting an image or comment with the aim of frustrating/upsetting others.

  Learn more about cyberstalking by visiting eSafety | Trolling

  Fake accounts and impersonation

  Online abusers may set up fake social media accounts pretending to be someone they are not in order to bully, harass or otherwise abuse people. They are also used to monitor and scam people into handing over money, gifts or intimate images or videos. Often these scams are run by organised crime syndicates.

  Online hate

  Includes targeted and persistent behaviour aimed at ridiculing, insulting, damaging or humiliating a person – this might target someone’s physical appearance, religion, gender, race, disability, sexual orientation and/or political beliefs.  You can report online hate, trolling and fake accounts to the social media service or platform that hosts it.

  Learn how to protect your personal information, explore the eSafety guide.

  Doxing and swatting

  Occurs when someone's personal details are shared or publicised online. This may result in offensive comments and unwanted calls or visits from strangers. Swatting occurs when an abuser makes a hoax call to emergency services to get a large number of police or emergency service responders to another person's address. This can be triggered by a false report of a bomb threat, hostage situation or someone at the address experiencing a mental health emergency, such as being suicidal. You can report doxing and swatting to the police.

  For information about how to contact the police, visit eSafety | Police and legal help.

  Other types of cyber abuse

  • Sending obscene messages repeatedly to a person or their family, friends or work colleagues
  • Threatening violence or inciting others to do the same – such as threats of death and sexual assault, which may lead to physical contact and/or assault
  • Encouraging someone to self-harm and/or commit suicide
  • Posting or sharing other offensive and inappropriate content – this can include posting inflammatory comments.

  Learn more about cyber abuse by visiting eSafety | Key topics

• Image-based abuse

  What is image-based abuse?

  Image-based abuse is when someone shares or threatens to share an intimate image or video without the consent of the person pictured. This includes images or videos that have been digitally altered (e.g. using Photoshop or specialised software). Image-based abuse is sometimes referred to as ‘revenge porn’. In many cases, image-based abuse is not about ‘revenge’ or ‘porn’. It is actually a betrayal of trust and shows malicious intent to obtain power and control over someone else.

  Sextortion is a type of image-based abuse. It is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share intimate images of another person online unless they give in to the demands. These demands are typically for money, additional intimate images or sexual favours. Perpetrators often target people through dating apps, social media or webcams. While sextortion can be used by individuals, organised crime is often behind it when the perpetrator demands money. Commonly, the perpetrator is not based in Australia.

• Online scams

  Scammers contact thousands of email addresses and phone numbers every day, so there's a good chance you'll be contacted by a scammer some time, if you haven't been already. When scammers first contact you, they won't have any information about you and probably won't even know if your email or phone number is working. They are just hoping that one of the thousands of people they are trying to scam will respond and unfortunately, many people do.

  For information and advice on identifying online scams, including tips on how to spot a scam, examples of common scams and guidance on what to do if you have been scammed, visit eSafety | Online scams.

Responding to and reporting online abuse

For anyone targeted by online abuse, there are several ways to address the issue. eSafety is dedicated to assisting Australians in preventing and addressing the harms associated with serious online abuse and illegal or restricted online content.

• Collect evidence

  Responding to abuse

  As difficult as it might be, try not to respond or retaliate. People who post hurtful comments and messages online often do so just to get a reaction. In many cases, online services or platforms can remove harmful content that has been shared. If they are unable to address the situation, eSafety has the authority to step in and guide them on the necessary actions.

  Collect evidence

  While your immediate reaction might be to make the abusive content disappear, it’s important to collect evidence that documents what is happening and report the abuse before you block or delete it.

  Learn how to collect evidence by visiting eSafety | How to collect evidence

• Report content

  Service or platform

  Report a person or the abusive content to the service or platform where it was posted or shared. Then you can use all the tools available to you to block or mute anyone abusing you. If they reappear on a social media service or platform under a different name, block or mute them again.

  Find instructions for reporting complaints to various services and platforms, including social media, online games, and other applications, in the eSafety Guide.

  eSafety Commissioner

  If a service or platform fails to take action within 48 hours of a complaint being lodged, individuals are encouraged to report the incident to eSafety.

  Key information on reporting to eSafety:

  • What you can report
  • What you need to know first
  • Summary table outlining what can be reported and how
  • Filling out a report form

• Outcome

  Notification

  Reporters will be informed whether their report will be investigated further or if it does not meet the criteria for action. Valid complaints will be assigned to an investigator who will prioritise the case, gather information, and provide the reporter with the next steps.

  Review the steps outlined on eSafety | What eSafety does next.

  Support and advice

  If eSafety is unable to investigate, there are alternative support agencies and online resources available to offer guidance on managing the effects of online abuse.

  Find advice on handling the impacts of online abuse

  • Options if eSafety can't investigate
  • Managing the impacts of adult cyber abuse

Staying safe online

Find tips for keeping yourself safe online, information about different types of online abuse and where to get help with eSafety online resources.

Find all training and education resources on the Training and education page.