How to Report Cyberbullying on Instagram

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Explains how to report cyberbullying, abuse, and threats on Instagram.

Recently, we’ve discussed general safety tips for teens related to Instagram, and also fleshed out in detail how individuals are cyberbullied on Instagram. Today, I thought I’d summarize the ways in which teens (and adults) should use Instagram and how to report cyberbullying on it to reduce their chances of victimization and to have the most enjoyable and hassle-free experience.

Report Inappropriate/Embarassing Photos

How to Report Cyberbullying on Instagram


When you’re tagged in a photo that you can see that you dislike or is cruel or embarrassing, you can click on it and Hide it from your profile, Remove yourself from the photo, and/or Report it as Inappropriate to the site. All of these options are available by selecting the photo, clicking your name (the tag), and then choosing from the various options presented. They are also available by clicking on the […] button to the right of the Like and Comment buttons at the bottom of every picture.

Always remember that you can report *any* inappropriate picture posted by someone else in that manner – by selecting the […] button. Please know that when you “report” a photo, the person you are reporting against doesn’t ever find out that it was you who reported against them. You remain anonymous. Instagram then just simply looks into the matter to verify whether the picture is, in fact, inappropriate. If it is, they will delete it.

Report User Profile/s on Instagram

How to Report Cyberbullying on Instagram


Let’s say someone is being a jerk to you on Instagram in numerous ways. If you go to that user’s page, at the top right is an icon that looks like a box with an arrow flying out of it (if you use iOS devices, you are very familiar with this icon as it represents “Send…”). Clicking on that button will allow you to Block that user, or Report him/her for Spam. When you block someone, that person can’t search for you or view your photos – and they don’t get any sort of notification that they have been blocked. If you have mutual followers, though, that person can still see the likes and comments you make on other people’s pictures (you don’t become completely invisible to each other, like on Facebook).

How to Report Cyberbullying on Instagram


Even if you block someone, you can still be mentioned in captions and comments with your username (in my case, @hinduja) and cyberbullied in that way. What you have to do then is to Block that person, and change your username (under Edit Your Profile, accessible via the right-most button in the main navigation bar at the bottom of Instagram). I know this is a chore, and you probably don’t want to do that – but it’s an option if absolutely necessary.

Report Cyberbullying Comments on Instagram

How to Report Cyberbullying on Instagram

When it comes to comments on pictures, always remember that you can manually delete ones that are harmful or humiliating – or report them. If it is on your picture, click the Comment button, and then swipe on the problematic comment. This will give you access to a trash can icon – allowing you to either Delete it and Report it as abusive, or simply to Delete it. If it is on someone else’s picture, do that person (and cyberspace) a favor by clicking the Comment button, swiping on the problematic content, and Report it (using the icon with an exclamation point on a stop sign). Eliminate hate. All the cool kids are doing it. And it’s definitely worth the two seconds it takes. Again, the person you are reporting against never learns who flagged them, their image, or their comment.

Finally, a point I made in a previous blog bears repeating: to avoid stress and headaches that might come from dealing with unwelcome interactions from people you don’t really want to know or be in touch with, set your Photos to Private. This one step does so much to keep you in control of your content. Try not to simply desire to connect with as many other Instagram users as possible, just to raise the number of your Followers. You’ll never be satisfied. Rather, have quality interactions on Instagram with people that you like and know, and want to be in friendship/relationship with. The bonding experiences over pictures and captions and comments and hashtags become so much more meaningful. It’s like you’re actually sharing your life with people that are in your life. And they’re doing the same! Hope this helps!

59 Comments

  1. A hate page was created to bully my friends. They post pics and comment very graphic insulting things after days of reporting to IG the page is still up and now a few more. This is Terrible this page has been reported so many times but it still remains. I did the things above to remove the comments but the 1st caption comment remains!!! HOW DO I DELETE THAT ONE??!

  2. We need help serious child cyberbullying which is going to lead to suicide, please help me stop this predator: @officialfges and @losesomeweight Who ever this is ; is cyberbullying children on instagram

  3. If a page had nothing put pictures and posts talking bad about young girls, it should be removed!! I know of 2 young girls who were on a certain page and have hurt themselves. What is it going to take to stop this this nonsense. Someone’s life????

  4. Someone said something really horrible about me on instagram.. they go to my skl and i want that comment to be deleted so i will try wot u said.. reporting it! good job they dont c!

  5. If sum1 has posted a neud pic of u but also blocked u how r u ment to report them I went on the net to report him and it won’t send so I got no options he is also posting pictures of him and guns so he can threaten me and my kids

  6. PLEASE HELP!!!! MY FRIENDS DAUGHTER IS 10 YEARS OLD. SHE IS A GOOD GIRL, ALWAYS DOES GOOD IN SCHOOL. NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS. SOMEONE IN HER SCHOOL MADE AN INSTAGRAM WITH OTHER CHILDS PICTURE AND WROTE HER DAUGTHERS FULL NAME ON IT SAYING SHE SUCKS. WE CONTACTED THE SCHOOL, AND THEY KNOW WHO DID IT BUT NO ONE IS DELETED IT! THIS IS BECOMING A PROBLEM. HER DAUGHTER IS BEING MADE FUN OF IN SCHOOL. SHE IS DEPRESS. AND DOESNT WANT TO BE IN SCHOOL ANYMORE. THIS IS AFFECTING HER EVERYDAY LIFE!!!PLEASE HELP. IM WORRIED FOR HER!!

  7. Please report the account @ homesteez for me, they have been sexually harassing and threatening my friends and I. CWD. Thank you. I’ll like some of your photos in return.

  8. People are such cyber bullies for no reason. I was commenting on a photo really nicely and then this girl freaks out for no reason at all. She starts cussing and calling me a fat ugly b*tch, and i kinda lost my mind too. Her sister and mom gets into it and then they just make her seem right. They dont do anything to stop her, and she keeps putting really mean and abusive comments on my photos. this person is @minecraftgirl_101. I almost comepletely left insta because of this.

  9. my 9 year old daughter was cyber bullied on instagram. I called them out on it and they then really started to pick on her and said they don’t care because no one will do anything about it. Funny thing is it’s true. I reported them numerous times to instagram and yet they are still doing it. We have now deleted her account. Question is why should my daughter have to delete her account because of someone else. My daughter already suffers from depression. They are calling me a B and all kinds of stuff. I took pictures of the comments they left.
    They said there parents know and don’t care.

    • I had the same experience but it’s been going on for a few weeks and my daughter is almost 17. It’s not girls doing it though. It’s a guy she dated back in January and his friends. Making up profiles with the name Anderson th0ts aka hoes then posting a picture of her calling her a whore and stuff. Instagram did take it down because a ton of people reported it but they turned around did it again and it had to be taken down again. He also texts her and he has his friends do it to. I’ve asked him to stop but he said no, it’s funny. He doesn’t care either but I’m collecting all the posts, the comments, texts, pictures they put up, everything. I think the police will do something if not at least give him a visit and a warning. The problem is kids aren’t scared of adults anymore, they have no RESPECT. You think because you did, that they would but times have changed and they honestly do not care. My suggestion for you, is to keep everything that this girl has said. If they go to school together report it to the school because if they are doing it online then they are doing it there as well. Schools HAVE to take bullying seriously now since states have started passing laws. Our school system just had to pay out $50,000 because they didn’t act when I teenager was being bullied. Now they are all about it. Don’t want to lose anymore money on that.

      • This is not the school’s problem, it is yours. In my opinion, kids in school should only have phones that do not connect to the internet. You parents really need to grow up and take care of your own problems.

    • Not only is she too young to have one of these accounts, she is also not mature enough. 13-16 is the age to be involved in social media, and even that is too young. My niece did not follow this advice, and now her daughter is battling an eating disorder and substance abuse. Be a mother, do the right thing, and follow the suggested rules. YOU are the problem.

  10. Hi, I’m 13 and my friend and I are being told really hurtful things on instagram (I was called many curse words). This person also told me that he hopes that I die a slow and painful death and that he wants to boil me alive. He has also been sexually abusing me and my friend, he told me that if he ever learned who I was or my address that he would come to my house and RAPE me. I am thinking about SUICIDE…….. I’m really depressed now and scared to DEATH THAT HE IS GOING TO RAPE MY FRIEND AND I. My other friends have been very supportive with me and they have been trying to keep me from self harm, but I don’t know how much more I can stand this… Please report him, his instagram is @mrwiggo. The pic is one of a Perry the Platypus Account (I know it sounds weird, but yeah).

  11. I had a different situation…I believe I was being falsely reported as inappropriate. Within a week I had three IG profiles shut down. I did not curse, disrespect anyone or say unkind things. Nor would I even accept DM’s that I thought could be inappropriate. I don’t know who to contact to get my site up and I’m afraid to start another one because I don’t know what I’m doing wrong to cause it to get shut down to begin with…has anyone else had this happen?

  12. Please check out Censorgram for Instagram. An automated way to control comments and users on your Instagram profile. This will help in our fight against cyberbullying and spam!

  13. Last night a pic of my daughter was posted on a smiliar site in a neighboring county of Berrian. I’m not so sure its not a parent that has done this to my daughter. We are reporting the site but after reading some of these posts it sounds useless. Hopefully for my daughters sake this is a parent it will be easier for me to handle this for her no IG acct required.

  14. It was a regular day for me on instagram and this girl followed me. I check her pics just in case if i knew her and while looking through her pics there were girls and guys telling her bad stuff. Mostly these same ppl end up putting rude comments

  15. Instagram has used to be a place I would go to see nice pictures go shopping post pics of me n son and meet new people now it’s all about bullying and even when u do report a page they don’t delete it I’ve report so many bashing hate pages that people mad about me and my son and also some of my friend it’s disgusting they need to really look at the pages Thatz being reported for bulling and harassment there people out here killing there self just before of these bullying pages

  16. Instagram is the biggest piece of crap app in the entire world I’m telling everyone to delete it. I’ve seen bullying harassment on there and they do absolutely nothing AFTER several people have reported etc. I’m going to be contacting law enforcement. Why don’t you people stop worrying about how many are using it and start focusing on making it a safe fun app to use you idiots

  17. When my wife past away some” friends” created a fan-page and I quote “help us preserve memories for her children” However they started posting inappropriate comments and pictures. some of my children are to young to be on social media and some could be considered of age, however I do not allow them to poses this kind of invasion and intrusive platform. It is interesting to see how people feel entitled to your story or your children/family s privacy regardless of if their parent has requested them to NOT post pictures of you or your minor children without parental consent. It is one thing to post pictures of your own children and or friend/family that does not mind but it is a complete VIOLATION and CYBERBULLYINGt to blatantly disregard a parents right to decide weather or not their pictures should or should not be posted. My kids and I have been cyber bulled and they don’t even know it. Cyber bullies come off more as a “absence of malice” type. ” I’ve always wondered if so and so had a drinking problem or “im not saying but is so and so gay?” Captions like that and photos posted without consent are VERY MALICIOUS, yet the poster can get away with it and hide behind the mask of “i didn’t say they were gay or that they had a drinking problem” As a parent you must first protect your children from it, even if it means blocking family/friends on a social media platform and or on a day to day basis. I don’t think it means to run or shelter your children but to take initiative and inform; school systems, parties that are involved, friends, family, the social media platform etc…

  18. I’m getting cyber bullied on ig with my pictures there’s a page that’s all about me I’ve reported 100 times and it’s been a week and nothing has been done it affecting my whole life :(((((

  19. please I’m begging any and everyone who reads this post please report this account I have been harassed on numerous occasions by @phrophet7 this person is even taking it a step further by telling everyone that we are having sex I am under age and it is not a good image they say they will not stop lying on me until I give them what they want you guys please please please help me flag this page I have notified Instagram and local police

  20. My daughter’s account has been hacked into. A friend on her account put a photo on and under my daughter’s username an abusive comment was made. My daughter didn’t make this comment and two young girls have been left very distressed. I have changed the simple password and changed the email address, could the abuser still be under her username. Will it be better to shut down the account ?

  21. Iv had a problem with someone making a fake facebook with my name and pics they were slagging a girl off to a lad who screen shotted the conversation and the girl it was about put it up on instagram (I’m not on instagram) calling me a vile dog! Iv since had inboxes and death threats to my face book because the instagram photo posted with my picture and full name on – when it was someone prtending to be me, its devasted me iv reported it and heard nothin and the post is still up with over a 100 comments on it all calling me names and my children how can I get this removed?

  22. Someone has made a fake account on Snapchat of my friends son and now is threatening to blow their school up. What can be done by my friend about this? Any suggestions? Her son is autistic and has a mild case of cerebral palsy and has been bullied all his life. He graduates this year and all this is driving my friend and her son crazy! Help please, anyone!

  23. My family has been bullied and harrassed on Instagram. To a point someone made 2 accounts just to get in my site and cause disturbance , these accounts names are @gyspy_best_2018_. @tmz. It’s easy for someone to harass bully and threaten the lifes of people, however it’s hard to take action. There is no number to reach the owner of Instagram and never does Instagram help in a way to stop these types of crimes. I need help if anyone knows how to help me find out where do I go to get the help so I may press charges for thiese accounts harassing my family please let me know

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