Guide to Managing Online Harassment

 

Overview

 
In recent years, there has been an increase in incidents of online harassment targeted at the academic community. While this is not a common occurrence, students, faculty, staff, postdocs, and other academic appointees who publish articles, provide expert commentary, or are active on social media can become targets for online harassment.
 
Online harassment can take on different forms:
  • “Trolling” occurs when individuals deliberately follow and provoke others online, often with offensive content. While most trolling is merely a nuisance, occasionally trolling attacks can escalate to threats or to the point where numerous individuals are engaged in harassing the target and/or target’s organization.
  •  “Doxing” is when private identifying information that is not otherwise publicly available is published online. This information can include sharing an individual’s private email, personal phone number, home address, etc. on various platforms to frighten the individual and encourage additional harassment.
  • “Cyberbullying” is the willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices.
Though generally short in duration, these situations can be very intense, alarming, and disruptive to an individual, as well as to departments, administrators, and students. Online targeting can also have real consequences for livelihoods and careers. The University is committed to vigorously defending the rights of all members of our community to publish and discuss their ideas, as well as protecting the personal safety of any individual targeted for sharing those ideas. The following guidance is meant to help targets of online harassment and department administrators navigate these types of situations, safely and effectively, by leveraging campus resources, to the extent possible.
 

Online Harassment and Freedom of Expression

 
Free expression and academic freedom are core principles at the University of Chicago. We vigorously support the ability of scholars and students to engage in open discourse, and we defend the freedom of instructors to teach the course the University offers.
 
Social media provides many outlets for free expression, but it can also present challenges for maintaining a campus environment that is conducive to free expression, deep intellectual engagement and mutual respect. When opinions differ online, this can sometimes lead to direct threats and harassment by individuals or groups. The University strongly opposes any conduct designed to change or limit the expression of ideas by members of our community.  University policies protect free expression but also prohibit unlawful harassment, defamation, threats to personal safety, invasion of privacy or confidentiality obligations, and any other conduct that violates the law.
 

Online Harassment Guidance and Resources

 

 

What to Do if You are the Target of Online Harassment

 
The University is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment where individuals are empowered to fully participate in the exchange of ideas and perspectives. We are committed not only to supporting the academic freedom of our scholars, but also the personal safety of every member of our academic community.
 
If you experience online harassment, we encourage you to take the following steps and engage the help of University experts. It’s not always wise to attempt to deal with trolling or doxing on your own, as responding directly to attackers can prolong and inflame the situation.
 
Please note the following guidance contains resources and information on reporting incidents of cyber-bullying, doxing, or trolling. It is NOT the process for reporting conduct that violates or may violate the University’s harassment/discrimination policy.
  • Report concerns about harassment, discrimination, and sexual misconduct here.
  • Report concerning behavior by a University community member here.
 

Assess the threat

If you or those close to you are in imminent physical danger or there has been a direct threat of physical violence, call 9-1-1 immediately.
 
If there is no immediate physical threat, yet you believe the actions of the harasser are criminal, please contact UChicago Police Department (UCPD) at 1-2-3 from any campus phone or (773) 702-8181 off campus. They will assess any ongoing threats and initiate appropriate investigative follow-up.
 

Report the incident

Faculty, Postdocs, and Other Academic Appointees: Contact your chair or dean. If you do not have a designated chair or dean, please contact your program director or area Collegiate Master.
 
Students: contact your dean of students or the dean-on-call.
 
Staff: contact your immediate supervisor or unit lead.
 
Provide the administrator with an overview of the situation and your concerns:
  • Describe the incident with relevant details.
  • When did the initial incident begin?
  • Is it connected to something specific, such as an article, appearance, expert commentary, social media post, etc.?
  • What platforms are you being harassed on?

 

Preserve and share any relevant evidence

While it may seem counterintuitive to hold onto messages or posts that are upsetting, it can be helpful down the line to have evidence of an attack, particularly one involving threats.

  • Save any emails, voicemails, or text messages you receive.
  • Take screenshots or photos of comments on social media; because such comments can be deleted, screenshots are often useful to help document them.
 

Take care of yourself

Online harassment of any kind can be incredibly stressful and may have a lasting impact.  In addition to support that is available through the University or law enforcement, the following actions may help individuals respond to a difficult situation occurring online:

  • Consider temporarily disabling your social media profiles or switching them to private, so only those you are connected to can post or comment. Although your first instinct may be to respond and defend yourself online, responding to harassing messages can tend to prolong and inflame incidents. Online attacks can be intense, but they are not usually sustained for long periods of time. Other steps you can take include:
    • Ignore: The goal of social media agitators (commonly referred to as trolls) is to elicit a response. In many cases, trolls move on if you ignore them long enough.
    • Mute: If what someone is saying about you online is causing you distress, you can change your settings to mute them.  The harassing party normally is not notified that you’ve muted them, and you can ignore their comments. If you are worried their comments may become threatening, ask a friend or colleague to check your feed on your behalf.
    • Block: Several social media platforms allow you to selectively prevent others from following you, seeing your posts, or commenting on your content. Please note that when you block someone, they may receive a notification or be able to see that you’ve blocked them, depending on the platform, and may choose to criticize you on their own channels.
    • Report: Reporting a user’s behavior to social media platforms could result in their account being suspended if they violated the platform’s guidelines. This strategy has limitations, as harassing messages might come from multiple accounts, making it difficult to pinpoint a culprit. Additionally, some posts might be harassing in nature but not violate specific platform guidelines.
    • For more information on privacy settings and managing social media both during and after an attack, please review Securing Your Online Footprint After an Incident.
  • Engage the University’s resources for mental and emotional support.
Steps the University can take on your behalf
  • Temporarily removing your contact information or full profile from any University-owned websites.
  • Handling all media requests and preparing a communication plan to address any inquiries from media outlets. (Note: In some cases, it may be useful to “set the record straight” by issuing a statement. In other cases, a statement could attract additional attention on social media and from traditional media. The Online Harassment Response Group can help you make informed decisions about how to proceed.)
  • Serving as a liaison between UCPD and other law enforcement entities to ensure any evidence is shared and appropriately documented
  • Providing you with information on resources and potential workplace or study accommodations.
  • Providing technical assistance during the incident such as:
    • Temporarily or permanently changing account names.
    • Block or remove harassing emails sent to your University email account.
Tips If You Feel That a Public Response is Necessary
  • Stick to facts that are not open to interpretation.
  • Keep responses short, concise, and above all factual.
  • Correct inaccuracies and move on.
  • Resist becoming defensive or fighting fire with fire.

 

 

Resources for Administrators Responding to Incidents of Online Harassment

If you are a supervisor, dean of students, or other academic leader, it is likely that you may be the first point of contact for a member of our community who finds themself a target of online harassment. The role of supervisors, academic leaders, and deans of students is to provide immediate support to the targeted individual, inform them of University resources and engage them as needed, and to assist with documenting the harassment if necessary.
 
If a student, faculty member, staff member, postdoc, or other academic appointee reports being harassed online, the following can guide you through how to effectively document the incident and protect the safety of the targeted individual. We highly encourage you to utilize all the University tools and resources at your disposal to ensure a prompt and organized response that does not further escalate the issue.
 

Assess the threat

If there is a direct threat of physical violence – call 9-1-1 immediately.
 
If there is no direct threat of physical violence, yet you believe the actions of the harasser are criminal, please contact UChicago Police Department (UCPD) at 1-2-3 from any campus phone or (773) 702-8181 off campus. They will assess any ongoing threats and initiate appropriate investigative follow-up.
 

Gather necessary information

Attempt to gather the facts and collect as much information as possible. The more we learn, the easier it will be to offer support.
  • Are there any safety concerns?
  • When did the initial incident begin?
  • How many individuals are involved?
  • Is it connected to something specific, such as an article, guest appearance, expert commentary, social media post, etc.?
  • What platforms is the target being harassed on?
  • Ask for a detailed description of the incident.
 

Submit a report

Whenever an incident of online harassment occurs, administrators should submit a report to the Online Harassment Response Group.
 
The Online Harassment Response Group (OHRG), managed by the Office of the Provost, consists of senior leadership from the Office of Legal Counsel, Information Technology Services, University Communications, Department of Safety and Security, Campus and Student Life, Human Resources, and the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs. The OHRG exists to quickly and effectively assess the harassment, engage University resources and provide the appropriate response for the incident at hand.
 
Submit a report here: Online Harassment Reporting Form
 
Please note, this process is specifically for reporting incidents of cyber-bullying, doxing, or trolling. It is NOT the process for reporting conduct that violates or may violate the University’s harassment/discrimination policy.
  • Report concerns about harassment, discrimination, and sexual misconduct here.
  • Report concerning behavior by a University community member here.
 

Inform local leadership and engage university resources

In addition to the Online Harassment Response Team, the relevant Academic Dean or administrative leader should be informed and updated regularly about any potential issues. The main goal is to make leadership in your school, division or administrative unit aware of the event so individual units can be prepared for any potential impact, there is one source of information, and there can be a coordinated response if necessary.
  • Once the dean and response team have been informed, a brief communication should go out to all leadership within the school or division notifying them that an incident occurred and requesting that they refrain from responding to any inquiries until a communications plan is in place.
 

Share critical resources with targeted individual

 

Develop a plan to document harassment

Discuss a plan to document evidence of the incident or ongoing harassment. If the target is unwilling to go through posts or emails due to the nature of the content, engage departmental staff to assist with collecting and documenting content.

Gather and preserve:

  • Voicemails
  • Text messages
  • Emails
  • Screenshots of online posts/comments
 

Prepare employees in public-facing roles

In some instances, harassment can expand to include the individual’s immediate department/program or their entire division/school, and it is important to prepare University employees in public-facing roles (any individual who answers calls, responds to emails, or manages social media channels, for example) who may have to engage with angry or upsetting messages.
  • We recommend working closely with the Online Harassment Response Group to develop appropriate messaging and a plan for dealing with any area social media accounts.
  • If other personnel are being targeted as a result of an ongoing incident of online harassment, administrators should follow the same approach as above:
    • Gather information about the incident
    • Collect and preserve evidence
    • Share resources
    • Inform local leadership staff are being targeted
    • Alert the Online Harassment Response Group 
 

Advice for others wishing to show support

When news of a colleague or student being harassed online gets out, other members of the academic community may wish to express their support; however, we want to give guidance on how to show support to ensure trolls are not further encouraged.
  • We typically advise against the use of public statements of support, as that can exacerbate the situation. Instead, advise colleagues and staff to reach out privately.
  • Sending a kind email, taking time to call, or grabbing a coffee are all ways to make the targeted individual feel supported and included in the community.
 

Communicate with others who may be impacted

The impact of online harassment can be far reaching. Students may feel unsafe attending classes, instructors and staff may have concerns they will be targets too, and even current or former co-authors or collaborators might be impacted.
  • Prioritize safety – if there is a risk to the faculty member, staff, postdoc, other academic appointee and/or students, consider moving rooms, engaging a substitute, or temporarily moving the class online.
  • Be empathetic – listen to concerns and provide resources as needed.
 

Continue to offer support

Even once an incident has subsided, the impact it has on the target can be lasting, both personally and professionally. Stay in contact with the targeted individual to make sure they have access to the support they need, and work with them to find solutions.
 

Additional considerations

It is important to note that while harassment of any kind can make individuals feel threatened and insecure, the content of attacks differ significantly across race, gender, sexuality, disability status, and religious affiliation. Attacks of this kind can profoundly impact a victim’s sense of security and belonging. The most important piece of managing an incident of online harassment, aside from protecting the targeted individual in the moment, is to ensure they have enough support that they still feel secure and empowered to do what they are at the University to do.
 
 

Additional Resources

 

Resources for Students

 

Important Contact Information

University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD)
  • From a campus phone: 1-2-3
  • From any phone: 773.702.8181
Chicago Police Department (CPD)
  • If you or those close to you are in imminent physical danger or there has been a direct threat of physical violence, call 9-1-1 immediately.
24-Hour Resources
  • Dean-on-Call: Call the UCPD at 773.702.8181 or text via the UChicago Safe App
  • Sexual Assault Dean-on-Call: Call the UCPD at 773.702.8181 or text via the UChicago Safe App
Medical Resources
  • UChicago Student Wellness: 773.834.WELL
  • Nurse Advice Line (after UChicago Student Wellness business hours): 773.834.WELL
Counseling/Mental Health Resources
  • UChicago Student Wellness: 773.834.WELL
  • 24/7 Therapist-on-Call: 773.702.3625
Online Harassment Response Group
The Online Harassment Response Group (OHRG), managed by the Office of the Provost, consists of senior leadership from the Office of Legal Counsel, Information Technology Services, University Communications, Department of Safety and Security, Human Resources, Campus and Student Life, the Bias Education and Support Team, and the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs. The OHRG exists to quickly and effectively engage University resources and provide the appropriate response for the incident at hand, working to support targets and administrators.
 
After you contact your area dean of students or the dean-on-call, the Online Harassment Response Group will reach out to you to provide assistance.
 

Campus Resources

 Area Deans of Students serve as the primary contacts for students at the University in need of support.
 
IT Services is our campus technology partner and provides support with computers, phones, email, networking services, etc. In addition, many divisions and schools also provide support locally to various constituencies.
 
The Office of International Affairs (OIA) provides advising services and supportive programming to the international community at the University of Chicago.
 
The Office for Military-Affiliated Communities exists to support our veteran community through opening connections, providing opportunities, and facilitating unique partnerships.
 
Safety Escort Program, which provides a patrol or security officer to escort University community members to their destination when they are within UCPD’s patrol area.
 
UChicago Safe Mobile Safety App which is free to download and provides information for emergencies and links to safety resources.
 

Resources for Faculty, Staff, Postdocs, and Other Academic Appointees

 

Important Contact Information

University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD)
  • From a campus phone: 1-2-3
  • From any phone: 773.702.8181
Chicago Police Department (CPD)
  • If you or those close to you are in imminent physical danger or there has been a direct threat of physical violence, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Counseling/Mental Health Resources

  • The Staff and Faculty Assistance Program (SFAP) provided by Perspectives Ltd. offers counseling, referrals, and access to around-the-clock support. (username: UNI500 / password: perspectives)
  • By phone: 800.456.6327 to speak with a trained counselor about your needs.
  • By text: you have access to 24/7 Text-Based Counseling by texting 800.456.6327.

Online Harassment Response Group
The Online Harassment Response Group (OHRG), managed by the Office of the Provost, consists of senior leadership from the Office of Legal Counsel, Information Technology Services, University Communications, Department of Safety and Security, Campus and Student Life, and the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs. The OHRG exists to quickly and effectively engage University resources and provide the appropriate response for the incident at hand, working to support targets and administrators.

After you contact your supervisor, chair, or dean to report the incident, the Online Harassment Response Group will reach out to you to provide assistance.

Employee Resources

The Handbook for Academics includes information on policies and resources for academics. It also contains information on academic support services offered through the University.
 
The Office for Military-Affiliated Communities exists to support our veteran community through opening connections, providing opportunities, and facilitating unique partnerships.
 
The UChicago Intranet is where faculty, postdocs, other academic employees, and staff can find information about benefits, University resources, training, policies, etc. You will need to use your CNET ID to log on. 
 
Safety Escort Program, which provides a patrol or security officer to escort University community members to their destination when they are within UCPD’s patrol area.
 
UChicago Safe Mobile Safety App which is free to download and provides information for emergencies and links to safety resources.