Dear Supporter,
Trying to understand what your rights are on the internet and when they’ve been crossed is tricky. There are some federal laws that are meant to protect us but others vary from state to state.
Our online “Know Your Rights” guide is designed to help you walk you through some basic elements including:
The first step to take is to document your online harassment. If you need help with this, consider opening a case on HeartMob and asking either your friends and family or other vetted HeartMobbers to help you screenshot what you’re going through. It will be stored on the platform so that you can view it (or just know that it’s there).
If you feel as though you are in immediate danger, and are comfortable calling the police can be an option. We understand that involving law enforcement may not be the best option for many, as a growing number of people have reported a lack of sensitivity and responsiveness to issues of online harassment by police. We also understand people have different experiences with law enforcement depending on their personal histories, identities, and communities, so please use your best discretion in any decision to involve police. The upside of police involvement when dealing with online harassment is that once you have made an official complaint, you will begin to create documentation for your case. This documentation will be helpful if the harassment continues or escalates in the future.