Abuse is a knotty problem that depends as much on behavior as it does context. On Twitter, what counts as abuse must fit one or more criteria: reported accounts sending harassing messages; one-sided harassment that includes threats; incitement to harass a particular user; or sending harassing messages from multiple accounts to a single user. Since abuse takes place in a particular context, it must be evaluated by a Twitter representative prior to adjudication. There are, however, obvious exceptions—threats and calls to violence based on race or gender, for instance: accounts reported for violent threats will be suspended and, when appropriate, reported to law enforcement.

There are many forms of online abuse on Twitter, but some specific types are:

Impersonation: when a user impersonates others in a manner that is intended mislead, confuse, or deceive others.
Doxxing: publishing or posting other people’s private and confidential information, such as credit card numbers, street address, or Social Security/National Identity numbers, without their express authorization and permission; posting intimate photos or videos that were taken or distributed without the subject’s consent.
Violent threats (direct or indirect): threats of violence or promote violence, including threatening or promoting terrorism; making threats or promoting violence against a person or group on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, or disability.

Further details are available in the Twitter abuse policy and Twitter Rules.

What is not considered harassment on Twitter?

Behaviors that fall outside the criteria stated above may or may not constitute abuse. Personal disagreements, political debates, offensive content: in the end, none of these count as abuse unless they fit at least one of the criteria in Twitter’s abuse policy. The challenge of parsing abuse apart from offensive content lies in this: that among 300 million users on the platform, many of whom profess diametrically opposed points of view from one another, disputes are, at times, unavoidable. Since such disputes or disagreements aren’t necessarily abusive, Twitter offers account holders the options to unfollow, mute, or block other users, thereby screening out unwanted content.

Our Help Center provides users guidance about how to handle offensive content.

Accompanying Twitter’s policies are several tools and controls that keep users safe while educating them about how to manage their online experience

What should I do if I am harassed on Twitter?

Being targeted for harassment can be hurtful and traumatic. It is important to remember that you are not alone in the struggle, and there is a HeartMob community behind you to help stop the harassment. On Twitter, here are some steps you can take to protect yourself, and others, from being harassed:

Block the attacker’s account:

When you block an account on Twitter, that user will not be able to follow you or view your Tweets when logged in. Blocked users do not receive any notification alerting them that their account has been blocked, however, if a blocked user visits the profile of a user who has blocked them, they will notice they have been blocked. Blocked users cannot:

Follow you
Send direct messages to you
View your: Tweets, following or followers list, photos, videos, lists or favorites when logged in
Add your Twitter account to their lists
Tag you in a photo

For more information on how to block a Twitter account on the web, iOS or Android, click here.

Mute the attacker’s account:

Mute is a feature that allows you to remove an account’s Tweets from your timeline without unfollowing or unblocking that account. Muted users will not receive any notification alerting them that their account has been muted, and you can unmute them at any time. To view a list of accounts you have muted, visit your muted account settings.

Some important things to know about mute:

Muted accounts can still follow you and you can follow them. Muting an account will not cause you to unfollow them
Muted account users can still send you a Direct Message
You will no longer receive push or SMS notifications from any muted account

For muted accounts that you follow:

@replies and mentions by the muted account will still appear in your Notifications tab
Tweets from the muted account before it was muted will still appear in your Home timeline

For muted accounts that you do not follow:

@replies and mentions will not appear in your Notifications tab

For more information on how to mute a Twitter account on the web, iOS, or Android, click here.

Report the harassment to Twitter:

If you believe you are being harassed, you can report it to Twitter using this form. The report will be reviewed by the Trust & Safety Team at Twitter.com, and most requests are responded to within 24 hours. On the form, you will be asked for:

the abuser’s Twitter username
abusive Tweet URLs (up to five)
further details about the situation (e.g., repeated harassment from the same offender, manipulation of Twitter security, etc.)

How long should I wait before I report abuse on Twitter?

If you believe that a person’s behavior fits the criteria for abuse on Twitter, it’s best to report it as soon as possible to prevent further harm to yourself and others. If the behavior does not fit the criteria for abuse, you may choose to Unfollow, Block or Mute the user, instead.

How do I know if I have blocked a Twitter account?

When you visit the profile of a user you have blocked, the Follow button will be replaced with a Blocked button. In addition, the blocked user’s Tweets are hidden when you visit their profile. However, you can see that user’s Tweets by clicking the View Tweets button.

For more information on how to block a Twitter account on the web, iOS or Android, click here.

How do I unblock a Twitter account?

Visit the blocked account’s profile on Twitter
Click or tap the Block button
Confirm that you wish to unblock the account by selecting Unblock on Twitter for iOS and Yes for Twitter on Android

How do I know if I have muted a Twitter account?

Visit the muted user’s profile on Twitter
If the account is muted, you will see the red mute icon

How do I unmute a Twitter account?

Visit the muted user’s profile on Twitter
Click the red mute icon to unmute

How do I share block lists on Twitter?

Twitter recently made it possible to share block lists with other Twitter users. You can 1) export and share your block list with others facing similar issues or 2) import another user’s list into your own account and block multiple accounts at once.

To Export a block list:

Go to your blocked account settings on Twitter.com
At the top of your block list, click All to export your full block list. Click Imported to export the block list(s) you have imported
Click the Advanced options drop-down menu
Select Export your list

Confirm the accounts you want to export

Click Export and a .csv file will be downloaded to your computer and you can share the file with other Twitter users (NOTE: If your block list exceeds 5,000 accounts, your list will be separated into multiple files)

To Import a block list:

Go to your blocked account settings on Twitter.com
Click the Advanced options drop-down menu
Select Import a list
In the pop-up, click on the paperclip icon and find the .csv file. Click Open to import the list
The file name will be displayed when the file has been successfully imported
Click Preview. The list of the accounts will be displayed. You can uncheck any accounts you do not wish to block (accounts that you currently follow will be automatically unchecked)
Click Block to confirm
The imported accounts will be added to your block list

How can I report harassment on Twitter?

You can report harassment via this online form. The report will be reviewed by the Trust & Safety Team at Twitter.com, and most requests are responded to within 24 hours. On the form, you will be asked for:

the abuser’s Twitter username
abusive Tweet URLs (up to five)
further details about the situation (e.g., repeated harassment from the same offender, manipulation of Twitter security, etc.)

For directions on how to find a Tweet’s URL, click here. Tweet URLs are critical to the report because they provide evidence of harassment and advise Twitter on how to best handle the issue. Keep in mind that you can attach Tweet URLs from deleted Tweets. The Trust & Safety Team will be able to access deleted Tweets, even though the public cannot. If the harassment occurs outside of a Tweet (e.g., account bio, header, profile picture, etc.), then you can explain it in the Further description field of the form.

What are some advanced features for people targeted for harassment on Twitter (other than the block, mute, and share blocklist options)?

One way to tune out harassment is to unfollow a user who you may have found interesting, but have ultimately deemed annoying. Users can unfollow others if they no longer wish to see that person’s Tweets in their home timeline. Unless his or her Tweets are protected, anyone can still view a user’s Tweets by visiting his or her profile. You can remove Twitter users from your following list and from a user’s profile page or by SMS/text message. Note that anyone who reports another account as spam unfollows it automatically.

A further option is to protect your Tweets, which will only be visible to followers whom you approve. Similar to other social media sites, users with protected accounts can approve requests from other users to follow their accounts on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, only approved users are able to view or search for Tweets on a protected account. Opting for a protected account prevents unwanted followers from viewing their content.

Does Twitter accept screenshots as evidence for harassment?

Unfortunately, Twitter does not accept screenshots as evidence of harassment. Screenshotted Tweets are difficult to trace, and it is not always possible to affirm a screenshot’s validity because the screenshot may have been digitally altered. The preferred mode of documentation is to copy/paste a Tweet’s URL.

However, if you decide to work with local law enforcement authorities, then you may choose to provide screenshots of Tweets as proof of harassment.

Who can report abuse on Twitter?

The following individuals can report abuse on Twitter using this form:

The victim of online abuse
A legal representative of the victim (e.g. family member or attorney)
A bystander

Good bystanders will report the harassment they see on Twitter and help make Twitter a safer platform. Bystander involvement helps to curb harassment on Twitter and shows the victim that they are supported by the Twitter community.

Are reports kept confidential?

Twitter keeps each reporter’s information confidential in all cases except for those that directly concern identity or trademark violations. A reporter who claims that he or she has been impersonated, for instance, must authenticate his or her identity; the same is true of a business that claims that another account has misused a trademarked logo. In such cases, Twitter informs the reporter prior to communicating with the owner(s) of the account(s) in question.

Will I be notified when my abuse report to Twitter has been dealt with?

Notification depends on the nature of the report submitted. If you report abuse on someone’s behalf, Twitter will direct further correspondence to the persons involved in the incident as a way of safeguarding their privacy. However, if you are the target of harassment and submit a report, you will receive, at minimum, a response that confirms receipt of your report, provides a case number, and delineates what to expect in the coming days.

How long will it take Twitter to respond to my abuse report?

Twitter tries to respond to abuse within 24 hours that the report is submitted. However, it may take up to a few days to respond, depending on the amount of traffic generated by submitted reports.

Reporters who believe that their case hasn’t been handled adequately should carefully review Twitter’s abuse policy. Representatives adjudicate cases in accordance with the policy, weighing the content of the report against the criteria for abuse. If an account hasn’t been suspended or content removed, it is because neither infringes the policy or because the case is still pending. Twitter, in some circumstances, asks users to remove abusive content as a precondition for remaining on the platform. To determine if a Tweet has been removed, copy/paste the Tweet URL into your browser and see if it loads. If it was deleted, the page will read, “Sorry, that page doesn’t exist!”

While users who flout this request are ultimately suspended, there may be a delay between adjudication and action. By the same token, not all content labelled abusive is, in fact, abusive. The Twitter Rules spell out the parameters for what counts as intrinsically abusive content—the kind that warrants immediate removal upon discovery. Any user who is dissatisfied with the outcome of a case can unfollow, mute, or block the account in question. If, after adjudication, the reported account engages in the same behavior, users can submit another report.

In the abuse review process, does Twitter give priority to certain types of abuse, or does Twitter review reports in the order they received them?

Though Twitter considers all reports important, it prioritizes those of utmost urgency or that are blatantly illegal. Cases in point include threats of suicide or self-harm (requiring swift action), or media that depict child sexual exploitation, which are not only removed, but reported—along with the account—to NCMEC. Spam, while vexing, isn’t treated with the same urgency, although such urgency often isn’t needed: Twitter relies on automated technologies to purge spam from its platform before users can even view it.

Other than the abuse report form, is there another way to report harassment on Twitter?

At present, both the abuse report form on the Help Center and in the Twitter app are the only ways to report harassment on Twitter.

What resources does Twitter offer for harassment victims?

Twitter offers several online resources to help combat harassment. Twitter is partnered with the following organizations, which you can follow on Twitter or otherwise refer to for assistance:

AFA/Point de Contact (@AFAfrance)

Amnesty International (@AmnestyOnline)

Anti-Bullying Pro (@antibullyingpro)

CEOP (@CEOPUK)

Child Focus (@ChildFocusFR, @ChildFocusNL)

Childnet (@childnet)

Circle of Six (@circleof6app)

Common Sense Media (@CommonSense)

Connect Safely (@connectsafely)

Community Matters (@WakingUpCourage)

Crash Override (@CrashOverrideNW)

Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (@EndRevengePorn, @CCRInitiative)

Cyberbullying Research Center (@onlinebullying)

The Cybersmile Foundation (@CybersmileHQ)

ECPAT International (@ECPAT)

E-Enfance (@eenfance)

eNACSO (@eNasco)

Fair Girls (@FAIR_Girls)

Feminist Frequency (@femfreq)

icanhelp (@icanhelp)

ihollaback (@ihollaback)

InHope (@INHOPE_PR)

Insafe Network (@EInsafenetwork)

International Justice Mission (@IJM)

Internet Sans Crainte (@BetterInternetF)

Love 146 (@love146)

Missing People UK (@missingpeopleUK)

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (@MissingKids)

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (@NSPCC)

NetSmartz Workshop (@netsmartz)

PantallasAmigas (@PantallasAmigas)

Red Barnet Ungdom (@RedBarnetUngdom)

Safer Internet GR (@saferinternetGR)

Safernet (@safernet)

Save the Children (@SavetheChildren)

StopBullying (@stopbullyinggov)

La Strada International (@lastradainterna)

Spunout (@SpunOut)

Thorn (@thorn)

UK’s Safer Internet Centre (@UK_SIC)

Webwise (@webwise_ireland)

For specialized information on how to deal with offensive content, here is a list of organizations Twitter partners with:

International Network Against Cyber Hate

The Anti-Defamation League (@ADL_National)

Ligue Internationale Contre le Racisme et l’Antisémitisme (@_LICRA_)

Muslim Advocates (@MuslimAdvocates)

SOS Racisme (@SOS_Racisme)

SOS Homophobie (@SOShomophobie)

Against Violent Extremism (@ave_org)

No Hate Speech Movement (@nohate_speech)

For a complete list of partnered organizations and links to their Twitter profiles, click here.

You can also visit Twitter’s Safety Center to learn more about online safety, on Twitter and beyond. The Center is organized around Twitter’s tools and policies to address safety, with sections created especially for teens, parents, and educators.

What steps has Twitter taken to stop harassment on Twitter?

Twitter has made some serious strides in fighting online harassment on their platform. For example, Twitter recently updated its violent threats policy so that prohibited behavior is not limited to “direct, specific threats of violence against others” but now extends to “threats of violence against others or promote[ing] violence against others” (Doshi, 2015). Before this policy change, harassers could incite others to be violent toward individuals and not be penalized, but now the promotion of violence against others is also banned. The updated policy better describes the range of prohibited behavior and shows Twitter’s intent to act when users cross the line into abuse.

In April 2015, Twitter introduced another anti-harassment practice . Twitter now has the ability to limit a user’s account for a certain time period, or until they register a phone number and delete abusive Tweets. Previously, Twitter only suspended a user’s account and prevented login. Thus abusers could easily create a new account and continue harassing their victims. The new, time-limited suspensions serve to make the punishment more annoying to the users that makes it easier for users to delete abusive Tweets and stop their behavior than to continue creating new accounts (Weinberger, 2015).

Twitter also begun to test a product feature to help them identify suspected abusive Tweets and limit their reach. This feature takes into account a wide range of signals and context that frequently correlates with abuse including the age of the account itself, and the similarity of a Tweet to other content that their safety team has in the past independently determined to be abusive. It will not affect users ability to see content that they’ve explicitly sought out, such as Tweets from accounts they follow, but instead is designed to help Twitter limit the potential harm of abusive content.

On July 20, 2015, Twitter introduced the new Safety Center, a resource for anyone to learn more about online safety, on Twitter and beyond. It is organized around Twitter’s tools and policies to address safety, with sections created especially for teens, parents and educators (Cartes, 2015).

Works Cited

Doshi, S. (April 21, 2015). Policy and product updates aimed at combating abuse. Twitter Blog.

Cartes, P. (July 20, 2015). Introducing the new Twitter Safety Center. Twitter Blog.

Subbaraman, N. (March 2, 2015). Twitter expands safety team to better monitor harassment online. The Boston Globe.

Weinberger, M. (April 21, 2015). Twitter gets serious about online harassment with new rules and punishments. Business Insider.

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