Save the harmful material and the details that let someone find and understand it: screenshots or copies of messages, posts, comments or images; direct links; usernames and profile URLs; the platform; dates and times; and a short, factual timeline. Preserve it before filing a report that might remove the content when you can do so safely. Do not postpone an urgent threat or immediate safety report while collecting evidence.
Reporting rules differ by country and agency. Some routes require a platform report first, while others accept a report without screenshots. The checklist below helps you preserve useful information without engaging with or spreading the abusive material.
Check immediate safety before collecting anything
If a message contains an immediate threat, gives someone your location, threatens physical violence, or makes you believe harm is imminent, contact local emergency services or police first. Evidence gathering is optional in an emergency. Police.uk guidance on threatening messages explicitly says you do not have to collect screenshots, texts, videos or photos before reporting.
If you are not in immediate danger, take a moment to decide whether opening the content again could expose you to more abuse. Ask a trusted person to help document it, particularly if the material is distressing. Keep the record factual: describe what appeared, where it appeared and when you saw it, rather than guessing who operates an anonymous account.
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The core evidence to save
A reviewer needs two things: the harmful material itself and enough identifying information to locate it. Save both whenever possible.
1. The original message, post, comment or image
- Take a screenshot that includes the abusive text or image and enough surrounding screen context to identify the account, conversation or page.
- Save or copy the material in the platform’s available format when that does not alter the original.
- For a disappearing item, use a device screen recording or photograph of the screen if permitted and safe.
- Keep related replies, preceding messages and platform notices when they explain the meaning or escalation of the incident.
A screenshot can remain useful even when a post is private, temporary or later removed. It is not a universal legal-evidence standard, and no agency guarantees a particular action based on one.
2. Direct links and account identifiers
- Copy the direct URL to the post, message thread, comment or profile.
- Record the username, handle, display name and profile URL exactly as shown.
- Note the platform, app, website or online space, including a group, forum, game or livestream where relevant.
A URL helps a reviewer locate public material. If a link is unavailable because the account is private, the content has disappeared or the app does not provide one, retain the screenshot, photo or recording and explain why no link exists.
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3. Dates, times and time zone
Record when the item was posted or sent if the platform shows it, and separately record when you saw or captured it. Keep the time zone when known. Those two times can differ after a delayed discovery, a repost or a notification. Use one consistent format in your notes so a reviewer can follow the sequence.
4. A chronological incident log
For repeated contact, create a simple entry for each event. Include the date and time, account, platform, what happened, the link or file name for the saved material, and any immediate context. A single post may not show that conduct is part of repeated unwanted contact; the eSafety Commissioner recommends recording frequency and context for that reason.
Separate what you directly observed from assumptions. For example, write “Account @example sent three messages between 14:05 and 14:17” rather than identifying an unverified person behind the account.
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5. Related correspondence and report records
- Keep emails, text messages, direct-message notifications and platform alerts connected to the incident.
- Save confirmation screens, ticket numbers and emails showing that you reported the material to a platform or authority.
- Note the date, time and channel used for every report.
These records can show what was submitted and when. Singapore’s Online Safety Commission, for example, asks for proof of a prior platform report for certain reports to that agency.
6. Effects and context
Briefly note information that helps explain the pattern and impact: how often contact occurred, whether accounts were created or renamed, whether the person contacted friends or colleagues, and how the conduct affected your ability to use the service or feel safe. Keep this section descriptive rather than speculative. The eSafety Commissioner’s evidence guidance specifically includes information that helps explain how abuse affected the person.
How to preserve evidence without making the situation worse
- Open only what you need to document. If revisiting a page is upsetting or risky, ask a trusted person to capture it or use an existing notification, email or message preview.
- Capture the locator with the content. Take a screenshot that shows the account and conversation context, then copy the post and profile URLs into your log.
- Keep an untouched copy. Store the original file separately from any cropped or annotated version. Add notes in your log instead of drawing over the original screenshot.
- Use clear file names. A practical format is
2026-10-17_1405_platform_account_event01. Include the time zone in the log rather than relying on the file name alone. - Make a second secure copy. Keep one copy in a private location you control and, where appropriate, another in an account or device that trusted support can access. Avoid posting the material publicly to create a record.
- Stop engaging. Do not argue, threaten, retaliate or forward abusive messages. StopBullying.gov advises not responding to or forwarding cyberbullying messages; retain them and report them instead.
When to report: preserve first, but do not wait in danger
Reporting can change what remains available. The Singapore Online Safety Commission warns: “As reporting to the OSC may lead to the harmful material being removed, please save the evidence if you plan to also report to the Police or take legal action.” If you may need to show the original material to police or seek legal advice, save it before a report that could trigger removal when practical.
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That is a sequencing consideration, not a universal rule. Some agencies do not require evidence before accepting a report. Police.uk says threatening messages can be reported without first gathering screenshots, messages, videos or photos. An urgent safety concern always takes priority over completing a file.
A practical reporting sequence
- Assess urgency. Contact emergency services or police immediately for an imminent physical threat. Tell them what you know, including the account and platform, even if you have no screenshots.
- Capture material that may disappear. Save the message or page, screenshot or record the screen if necessary, and copy the content and profile URLs.
- Write the incident entry while details are fresh. Record the platform, account, dates, times, time zone, description and whether the event is part of repeated contact.
- Check the required route for your location. Start with the platform’s reporting tool where an agency requires it, then follow the relevant local authority instructions.
- Submit and preserve confirmation. Save the platform’s receipt, case number or email, and note exactly when and where you reported.
- Update the log if conduct continues. Add new events as separate entries instead of rewriting earlier notes.
Procedures differ by jurisdiction
There is no single evidence prerequisite for every online-harassment report. The following official guidance illustrates the differences; requirements apply only to the named route and location.
| Agency or guidance | What it asks you to preserve or provide | Platform-first or evidence rule |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore Online Safety Commission: Online Harassment | Identifying details, what happened, platforms used, supporting screenshots or links, and dates and times. | It warns that reporting may remove material, so save evidence first if also pursuing police or legal action. |
| Singapore Online Safety Commission FAQ | URLs, screenshots, photos or recordings when a URL cannot be obtained, plus proof of reporting. | Its harassment and stalking process requires a prior platform report; the stated 24-hour proof requirement is specific to that process. |
| Australian eSafety Commissioner: How to collect evidence | Platform, content URL, username or profile URL, dates and times, frequency and context. | Its guide says, “But it is important to preserve evidence first.” |
| Australian eSafety Commissioner: Report adult cyber abuse | The material and information needed for an escalation. | The content must first be reported to the relevant service for that eSafety pathway. |
| U.S. StopBullying.gov | Dates, times and descriptions, with saved or printed screenshots, emails and text messages. | It advises not replying to or forwarding cyberbullying messages and reporting them to service providers and social platforms. |
| Police.uk: threatening messages | The username and platform are useful information. | You do not have to gather screenshots, texts, videos or photos before making a report. |
Check the current instructions for your country and the specific type of report. A platform complaint, police report, civil claim and regulator complaint can have different prerequisites.
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URLs, screenshots and recordings: use the right combination
Each format preserves something different. A direct URL gives a reviewer a route to public material, while a screenshot or recording preserves what you saw when a page was private, transient or removed. Save both when possible.
- Public post with a stable link: save the direct post URL, profile URL and a contextual screenshot.
- Private message: save the message view, account identifier, conversation context and any message timestamp; record that no public URL was available.
- Disappearing story or livestream: use a screen recording or photograph if lawful and safe, and write down when it appeared and disappeared.
- Removed or edited content: retain the earlier screenshot, notification or email and note when you noticed the change.
- Content spread across several accounts: save each account and URL separately, then link the entries in your timeline.
Do not alter the only copy to add arrows, captions or highlights. If annotations help a reviewer, create a clearly labeled working copy and keep the original unchanged.
Protect your privacy while documenting
Evidence may contain your address, phone number, private conversations or other people’s personal information. Share it only through the reporting channel or with a trusted adviser who needs it. Review the recipient and privacy settings before uploading. Avoid publicly reposting the abusive material: public circulation can expose you or others to further harm and can amplify the content.
Do not confront the alleged harasser to obtain more evidence. Blocking, muting or restricting an account may be appropriate after you have preserved what you need, but follow the platform or authority’s instructions if a safety professional tells you to keep a channel open for a specific report. If another person is at risk, tell the reporting agency what you know without attempting to investigate the account yourself.
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- A screenshot alone does not automatically establish who created an account or guarantee that an agency will remove content or pursue a case.
- A missing URL does not make a report impossible; screenshots, photos or recordings may still document what appeared on your device.
- One incident can be reportable even without a pattern, while a timeline can help explain repeated unwanted contact.
- Agency rules are not interchangeable. Singapore’s prior-platform-report and 24-hour details do not apply to every country, and Australia’s eSafety escalation rule is specific to that service.
- You do not need to finish a complete evidence packet before an urgent police or emergency report.
A compact checklist before you submit
- Have I saved the harmful message, post, comment or image?
- Does the capture show enough context to identify the account and conversation?
- Did I copy the direct content URL and profile URL, if available?
- Did I record the username, platform, date, time and time zone?
- Have I logged each related incident separately and described the pattern factually?
- Did I retain related emails, texts, notifications and report confirmations?
- Have I preserved the original files and kept them private?
- Have I checked whether this reporting route requires a platform report first?
- If there is immediate danger, have I contacted emergency services instead of delaying for documentation?
StopBullying.gov summarizes the purpose of this record plainly: “When cyberbullying happens, it is important to document and report the behavior so it can be addressed.” Treat the checklist as documentation guidance, not a substitute for local legal advice or emergency support.
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