Facebook has over 3 billion monthly active users and remains one of the most popular social media platforms. It has transcended its original purpose, with users now able to join communities, buy or sell on Marketplace, and even find love. Facebook’s massive reach naturally attracts individuals with both good and bad intentions.
41% of Americans have experienced online harassment. Furthermore, Meta reported a slight increase in Facebook harassment in the first quarter of 2025. Fortunately, Facebook has content moderation policies and systems for reporting harassment and other abusive behavior. To get started, let’s look at how Meta defines Facebook harassment.
How is Facebook Harassment Defined?
According to Meta’s community standards, harassment is defined as “repeatedly sending messages, comments, or posts that are unwanted and have the effect of intimidating, threatening, or harassing another person.” This can include things like sending threats, making offensive comments, or repeatedly tagging someone in posts without their consent.
The Terms of Service state that harassment of any form is prohibited across the company’s platforms, especially as issues like Facebook dating scams, impersonation schemes and stalking on facebook continue to rise. Platform administrators prioritize protecting minors affected by harassment. However, there are two separate harassment policies for public figures and private individuals.
For Public Figures
Meta defines public figures as government officials, political candidates, users with over one million fans or followers on social media, and people who are heavily featured in the news. Public figures regularly receive criticism from millions of people. Hence, Facebook only focuses on removing extreme attacks against public figures or situations where the figure is tagged in comments and posts.
For Private Individuals
Meta provides heightened protection for private individuals. The company focuses on removing content intended to degrade or shame. However, Facebook also has a self-reporting feature for users to notify the platform of any abusive behavior.
How to Identify Harassment on Facebook
Identifying harassment on Facebook can be a challenging task, but it’s essential to recognize the signs and take action early. Harassment on Facebook can take many forms, including:
- Repeatedly sending unwanted messages or comments.
- Posting threatening or intimidating content.
- Sharing your nudes or explicit images without consent
- Tagging someone in posts without their permission.
- Sending messages or comments that are meant to degrade or shame.
If you’re experiencing any of these behaviors, it’s essential to report the abuse to Facebook and take steps to protect yourself. Recognizing these signs early can help you take the necessary actions to maintain your online safety.
How to Report Harassment on Facebook
You should always report harassment on Facebook when you come across it. As a result, the abuser’s profile may be removed before they are able to harm anyone else. You can report posts, profiles, messages, and comments.
For Posts
If you are looking to report posts on your timeline, follow these steps:
- Click the three dots in the top right corner.
- Select “Report” from the menu.
- When prompted with “Why are you reporting this photo?”, choose the harassment option.
- Under “How is it harassment or abuse?”, choose the option that best fits your circumstance.
- If you choose “Harassment or abuse”, you’ll be asked “Who is being harassed?” Choose the appropriate answer.
For Profiles
If you are looking to report a profile for Facebook harassment, follow these steps:
- Visit the
- Click the three dots in the top right corner.
- Select “Report Profile” from the menu.
- When prompted with “What do you want to report?”, choose “Something about this profile”.
- Under “Why are you reporting this profile”, select the harassment option.
- When asked “How is it harassment or abuse?”, choose the appropriate option for your situation.
- If you choose the harassment option, then select “Who is being harassed?” Select the response that best applies.
For Messages
To report an interaction on mobile, follow these steps:
- Press and hold a message until menu options appear.
- Select “More” and then “Report”.
- From there, select “Harassment” and then “Submit”.
To report an interaction on a computer, follow these steps:
- Look for the three dots next to the message.
- Click on “Report” and then “Harassment”.
For Comments
To report a comment on mobile, follow these steps:
- Select “Report” from the menu.
- When prompted with “Why are you reporting this comment?”, choose the harassment option.
- Under “How is it harassment or abuse?”, choose the option that best fits your circumstance.
- If you choose “Harassment or abuse”, you’ll be asked “Who is being harassed?” Choose the appropriate answer.
To report a comment on a computer, follow these steps:
- Look for the three dots next to the comment.
- Select “Report” from the menu.
- You will be prompted with “Why are you reporting this comment?”. Choose the harassment option.
- Under “How is it harassment or abuse?”, choose the option that best fits your circumstance.
- If you choose “Harassment or abuse”, you’ll be asked “Who is being harassed?” Choose the appropriate answer.
Other Ways to Respond to Facebook Harassment
Harassment can take many forms. Some harassment cases may appear to be minor annoyances, while others can be extremely serious. Regardless, it’s important to always report harassment on Facebook. However, you may need to take more steps for more severe cases of harassment. Here are a few other steps you can take to respond to Facebook harassment.
Preserve Evidence
Online harassers often hide behind anonymity to act without fear of repercussions. But digital investigators can trace the digital data left behind by the perpetrator, discovering their geolocation and identity. It’s important to have evidence of the harassment to give investigators a place to start. Make sure to take screenshots of messages, the profiles involved, and anything relevant to the crime.
Adjust Privacy Settings
Your profile and posts can unintentionally reveal a lot about you. Bad actors will often be able to see your birthday, hometown, family members, and more. Fortunately, Facebook offers customizable privacy settings that allow users to control what information appears on your profile as well as who can see your posts.
To prevent future harassment, it’s essential to take control of your online experience. Here are some social media safety tips to help you stay safe:
- Adjust your privacy settings. Limit who can see your posts and profile information by adjusting your privacy settings. This can help protect your personal information from potential harassers.
- Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Protect your account by using strong, unique passwords and enabling two-factor authentication. This adds an extra layer of security to your account.
- Be cautious with friend requests. Be selective when accepting friend requests or following new accounts. Only connect with people you know and trust.
- Block harassers. Use the “Block” feature to prevent someone from contacting you or seeing your profile. Keep in mind that blocking can delete evidence of online harassment, so proceed accordingly.
- Report abusive content. If you encounter abusive content, report it immediately. By doing so, you help make the platform safer for everyone.
By following these social media safety tips, you can take control of your online experience and protect yourself from potential harassment.
Contact Law Enforcement for Extreme Cases
Law enforcement is a valuable resource for victims dealing with severe cases of harassment. Police can help you file an official report that can support future legal action or court proceedings. They may also work with digital investigators () to trace the perpetrator’s digital footprint and identify those responsible. Victims can also report Facebook harassment to our Harassment Helpline for immediate guidance and evidence‑preservation support.
You should also report severe Facebook harassment to the FBI. The FBI runs the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), the national center for online crime reporting. They have jurisdiction across state lines and even have relationships with law enforcement in other countries. Furthermore, reports help the agency track national cybercrime trends.
Additional Resources for Victims of Harassment
If you’re a victim of harassment on Facebook, there are additional resources available to help you. Here are a few:
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
- Cyber Civil Rights Initiative: 1-844-878-2274
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: 1-800-843-5678
- Facebook Help Center: www.facebook.com/help
Remember, online harassment is a serious issue, and it’s essential to take steps to protect yourself. By reporting abuse, blocking and restricting, and seeking additional resources, you can help keep yourself safe on Facebook.
How Digital Forensics Corp. Can Help Victims of Facebook Harassment
Online harassment can leave victims feeling isolated and afraid. This can be especially true if the safeguards in place have not effectively curbed the abuse. However, it’s important to remember that you are not alone, and help is available.
Combating Facebook harassment requires digital evidence, and this can be difficult for individuals to collect alone. You may wish to consider professional cybersecurity assistance. The team at DFC can help you:
- Collect and analyze data embedded within online interactions.
- Trace anonymous profiles and support identification efforts.
- Preserve evidence and uphold its integrity.
- Implement security measures to mitigate current and future abuse.
If you are dealing with Facebook harassment, it is not your fault. You are the victim of online abuse, and you deserve judgment-free support and guidance. You can reach us 24/7 to speak with one of our specialists and get started with a free consultation.
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Dr. Viktor Sobiecki
Currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Digital Forensics Corporation, where responsibilities span the leadership of advanced cybersecurity initiatives, data breach incident responses, and corporate strategic planning.
