What to Do If You Are Being Trolled: A Practical Checklist

When abusive messages start to arrive, it is natural to feel panicked and to want to reply immediately. A calm, step-by-step approach usually serves you better. This checklist is general guidance and cannot cover every situation.

1. Pause before replying

Angry answers are exactly what some trolls hope for. A hurried reply can also make a pile-on worse or give them new material. Take a few minutes, close the app and breathe. You can always respond later, and often you do not need to respond at all.

2. Keep a record

Before you block or delete anything, save evidence:

• take screenshots that show the message, the username and the date,
• save links to posts or profiles,
• note times and any pattern, such as repeated messages,
• store everything in a folder that only you can access.

Records are useful if you report the behaviour to a platform, an employer, a school or the police.

3. Block, mute and restrict

Most platforms give you tools to cut off contact:

• Block stops the person from contacting you or seeing your posts.
• Mute hides their content without telling them.
• Restrict or filter options can hide comments with certain words or from new accounts.

Using these tools is a way to protect your space, not a sign of defeat.

4. Report it

Report abusive content through the platform’s reporting feature, choosing the category that fits best, such as harassment or hate speech. Attach your evidence if the form allows it. Reports are not always answered quickly, so repeat them if abuse continues.

5. Tighten your privacy

• Review who can see your posts, tag you or message you.
• Remove personal details such as your address, workplace or school from public profiles.
• Use strong, unique passwords and turn on two-step verification, particularly if someone may try to access your accounts.
• Check what a search of your name shows and consider asking sites to remove private information.

6. Tell someone

You do not have to deal with this alone. Tell a friend, family member, teacher or colleague. If the abuse involves your workplace or school, report it to the relevant manager or administrator, because many organisations have policies on harassment.

7. Know when to go further

Seek outside help if you see:

• threats of violence,
• stalking or persistent unwanted contact,
• sharing of private images or information,
• messages that encourage self-harm.

These can be criminal offences in many countries, and the police may take reports seriously. National helplines can advise on next steps. The original campaign listed the National Bullying Helpline, Calm, Samaritans, MIND and SANE as places to start.

8. Look after yourself

Being targeted is draining. Take breaks, spend time offline with people you trust, and keep up routines such as sleep and exercise. Read more about the effects on wellbeing and what to look out for.

A reminder

None of this is your fault. You are allowed to log off, to say no to contact and to ask for help. If you are supporting someone else, see how to support someone who is being targeted. Learn more about why trolling happens on this site.