Support the person being targeted and arrange help with monitoring and documentation. Online harassment can affect staff, volunteers, leaders, and community members. The person experiencing it should not have to read every message or manage the response alone.

Assess immediate safety and organize support

If there is an imminent threat to anyone’s safety, contact emergency services and move to safety. For other incidents, identify a trusted coordinator and agree with the targeted person on the support they want. Distinguish criticism from abusive behavior and threats, while taking the person’s experience seriously. Escalating threats or exposed personal information warrant qualified safety advice.

Limit circulation of personal details and harmful material. Ask before sharing someone’s experience publicly or contacting others on their behalf. Arrange coverage for work duties and monitoring so the person can step away without losing access to important updates.

Preserve a useful record

Save relevant messages, links, screenshots, dates, and account names in a controlled location. Include the context needed to understand the exchange. Keep a log of platform reports and responses. If legal action may be involved, ask counsel about evidence preservation and appropriate handling of the material.

Use platform reporting, muting, and blocking tools as appropriate after preserving needed information. Avoid engaging impulsively or making a public statement that spreads the abuse to a larger audience. Discuss response options with the targeted person and the organization’s authorized communications lead.

Use established harassment and security resources

PEN America’s Online Harassment Field Manual covers preparation, response, support, and legal considerations. Its documentation guidance can help organize a record of events. Adapt it to your situation and the platform involved.

The NYT Open guide to finding your own exposed personal information is another resource listed in the chart. Removal requests take time and cannot guarantee that all copies disappear. The Democracy Security Project is a starting point for safety planning support.

For account compromise or other digital security concerns, review Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline and its eligibility and contact instructions. It offers technical assistance to eligible civil society users; it is not a replacement for physical emergency services.

Coordinate communications and follow-up

Decide whether any public response will help the person or the mission, and agree on approval and monitoring responsibilities. Keep updates factual and avoid exposing additional personal details. Review account security, staff support, and escalation procedures after the incident. Seek professional advice for legal, technical, or safety questions specific to the threat.

Explore the Nonprofit & Foundation Resilience guide for related resources. For strategic or crisis communications support, contact Caitlin at CBKStrategies.

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