If a student receives an online threat, prioritize immediate safety and support—not building a perfect evidence file. For ordinary, non-explicit messages, save a legible copy with identifying context and record when and where it appeared. Do not capture or circulate sexual images or videos of anyone under 18. And if there is immediate danger, contact local emergency services without waiting to collect evidence.
What to save for an ordinary online threat
When it is safe and permitted, preserve the message and enough surrounding information to help identify it. A screenshot can be useful, but it does not by itself establish who sent a message or prove that the record is complete.
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- The date and time, including the time zone if known.
- The platform or app and the URL or location where the content appeared.
- The account’s display name, username, or user ID, if visible.
- The full relevant message and nearby context needed to understand it.
- A concise description of what happened, any witnesses, and steps already taken.
StopBullying.gov recommends recording dates, times, and descriptions and saving screenshots, emails, and text messages. The eSafety Commissioner’s school toolkit and Police.uk also identify account and platform details as useful information when reporting. StopBullying.gov guidance, eSafety Commissioner school toolkit, and Police.uk reporting guidance explain what details may help.
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Keep the original file unaltered. If someone needs to annotate, crop, or otherwise work with an image, make a separate copy. This is a cautious record-keeping practice, not a universal chain-of-custody rule. Do not reply, retaliate, or forward the threat to friends or group chats.
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Do not collect sexual images or videos of a minor
If the material includes sexual images or videos of anyone under 18, do not screenshot, download, save, view, or forward it. Instead, record safe locating details such as the URL and profile name, then contact the appropriate safeguarding lead, police, or regulator for instructions. The eSafety Commissioner gives this direction to parents, and its school toolkit warns against capturing, viewing, or sharing explicit or illegal/restricted material. See eSafety Commissioner advice for parents and the school toolkit.
For other illegal or restricted content, avoid redistributing it and follow local agency directions. Handling rules and reporting duties vary by location.
Respond in order: safety, documentation, reporting
1. Check whether anyone is in immediate danger
If a student or another person may be in immediate danger, contact the local emergency service and follow the school’s safeguarding procedures. Do not delay to assemble screenshots or a complete timeline. Emergency numbers and thresholds differ by country; use the correct local route.
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Capture the relevant message and context before it disappears, if doing so is safe and allowed. Make a dated incident note with the details listed above. A parent or trusted adult can handle this on a child’s behalf if revisiting the material is distressing.
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3. Report through the appropriate routes
Tell the school’s safeguarding lead or use its established incident-reporting route. Report the content to the platform where appropriate. Contact police when a threat involves violence, immediate danger, or suspected crime. These routes can run in parallel; a school or platform report need not replace a police report.
Police.uk explicitly says that a person does not need to gather screenshots, texts, videos, or photos before reporting a threat. Its guidance lists useful identifiers if available, not prerequisites. In the United States, StopBullying.gov identifies threats of violence, stalking, and hate crimes among issues to report to law enforcement, while noting that state rules vary. Read Police.uk’s threatening-message guidance and StopBullying.gov’s reporting guidance.
4. Record what happened after each report
Note the date and recipient of each report, any case or reference number, what evidence was shared, and any instructions received. Schools should use their approved incident-management system and follow local safeguarding and sector procedures. Keep report receipts with the incident record.
Australia: when to contact eSafety
For serious cyberbullying of a child under 18 in Australia, the eSafety Commissioner says to report the content to the platform first. If the platform does not help, a report to eSafety may be possible; eSafety may ask for proof that the platform was contacted and assesses whether the legal removal threshold is met. This is an Australia-specific route, not a general process for other countries. Details are in eSafety’s parent guidance on cyberbullying.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Protect the student’s wellbeing and trust
Listen without blame and ask what support the student needs. Avoid making them repeatedly revisit or describe disturbing material simply to create a record; a trusted adult can manage collection and reporting. The eSafety Commissioner’s school toolkit says student and staff wellbeing and protection should remain the primary concern.
For serious incidents, schools should involve leadership and follow their safeguarding procedures. Do not use school interviews or written statements as substitutes for a police investigation. Any temporary securing of a device must follow the school’s policy and applicable sector rules.
Keep the process local to the incident
Reporting duties, legal definitions, school authority over devices, and record-retention rules depend on jurisdiction and incident type. In the United Kingdom, Police.uk directs people to call 999 in an emergency involving immediate danger to life or someone using or threatening violence. Australia’s eSafety school toolkit identifies Triple Zero (000) for immediate danger. Use the emergency route for the country where the incident is happening, and ask the school safeguarding lead, local police, education authority, or regulator about applicable handling rules.
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