How to Report Inappropriate Content on the Web: A Guide for Parents and Educators

The Internet is a vast and diverse source of information, entertainment, and communication. However, not everything on the web is suitable or safe for children and young people. Sometimes, they may encounter inappropriate content, such as pornography, violence, hate speech, or cyberbullying, that can harm their well-being and development.

As parents and educators, you have a responsibility to protect your children and students from such content and to teach them how to use the internet responsibly and respectfully. One of the ways you can do this is by reporting any inappropriate content you find on the web to the appropriate authorities or platforms.

In this article, we will explain how to report inappropriate content on different types of websites and platforms, such as social media, search engines, video-sharing sites, online games, and chat apps. We will also provide some tips on how to prevent your children and students from accessing inappropriate content in the first place.

Reporting on Social Media

Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and others, allow users to create and share content with their friends and followers. However, some users may post or share content that violates the platform’s community standards or terms of service, such as nudity, violence, harassment, hate speech, misinformation, or spam.

If you encounter such content on social media, you can report it to the platform by following these steps:

Facebook

Locate the post or profile that contains inappropriate content. Tap or click on the three-dot icon next to the post or profile. Select “Find Support or Report” from the menu that appears. Choose the reason why you are reporting the content from the options provided. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete your report.

X (Formerly Twitter)

Here are the instructions for reporting for X from their website.

Reporting a Post or List

1. Navigate to the post you’d like to report.
2. Tap the icon located at the top of the post.
3. Select Report Post or Report List and follow through the steps.

Reporting Direct Messages

Step 1

Click into the Direct Message conversation and find the message you’d like to flag.

Step 2

Click the information icon and click report@username.

Step 3

If you select It’s abusive or harmful, X will ask you to provide additional information about the issue you’re reporting. You may also be asked to select additional messages from the account you’re reporting

Step 4

Once you’ve submitted your report, X will provide recommendations for additional actions you can take to improve your experience.

Instagram

Here’s what the Instagram Help Center says about reporting inappropriate posts.

How to report a post through Feed:

1. Click  in the top right of the post.
2. Select Report and follow the on-screen instructions.

How to report someone through their profile

1. Click their username from their Feed or story post, or click  and search for their username to go to their profile.
2. Click  next to their username.
3. Select Report, then select the type of account you want to report and follow the on-screen instructions.

If you don’t have an Instagram account, you can still report a post that violates its Community Guidelines by filling out this form.

TikTok

Here’s an excerpt of Tiktok’s page about reporting illegal content.

• To report suspected illegal content in your TikTok app:
  • 1. Go to the video/comment/LIVE or other content that you want to report.
  • 2. Either press and hold on the video/comment/LIVE or tap the share icon as appropriate. Tap share or 3-dot icons to report other content.
  • 3. Select Report and then select Report illegal content from the list.
  • 4. Select the relevant category of illegal content from the list, and follow the instructions provided.
• To report suspected illegal content on the TikTok website:
  • 1. Go to the video/comment/LIVE or other content that you want to report.
  • 2. Tap the 3-dot icon which is included at the top in videos. Then select Report.
  • 3. Select Report illegal content from the list.
  • 4. Select the relevant category of illegal content from the list, and follow the instructions provided.

Search Engines

Search engines, such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, and others, allow users to find information on
the web by entering keywords or phrases. However, some search results may lead to websites that contain inappropriate content, such as pornography, violence, hate speech, or illegal activities.

If you encounter such websites on search engines, you can report them to the search engine by following these steps:

Reporting a Problem with Google Search

Here’s how to report a problem with Google Search on a desktop.

1. Do a search on Google.
2. At the top right of the page, click Quick Settings   Send feedback.
3. Enter a description of the issue.
4. If you want, you can highlight the part of the page you want to send feedback about.

Here’s how to report a problem with Google on a mobile device’s browser.

1. Do a search on Google.
2. At the top left of the page, tap Menu   Send feedback.
3. Enter a description of the issue.
4. If you want, you can include a screenshot of the page you’re looking at.
5. Tap Send .

Here’s how to report a problem with Google App

1. On your Android or IOS device, open the Google app .
2. At the top right, tap your Profile picture or initial  Help & feedback  Send Feedback.
3. Enter a description of the issue.
4. Tap Send .

Reporting Concerns on Bing

To report a concern with Bing, go to this page and fill out the form.

To Sum Up

In today’s digital age, it’s more important than ever to be vigilant about the content we consume and share online. By taking a proactive approach to reporting inappropriate content and educating ourselves and others about online safety, we can help create a more positive and secure digital environment for everyone. Let’s work together to promote digital literacy and responsible online behavior, and make the internet a safer place for all.