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If someone is in immediate danger, call 999. Otherwise, report the post, account or message using the platform’s own reporting tool, then contact the appropriate UK specialist service or police route if the content may involve a crime. A platform report asks the service to review material; it does not replace emergency or specialist reporting.
Choose the right route first
| Situation | Where to report | What the route is for |
|---|---|---|
| Someone is in immediate danger | Call 999 | Emergency response. Do not wait for a platform moderation decision. |
| Suspected child sexual abuse, exploitation or illegal sexual contact online | CEOP | Report concerns about online child sexual abuse or exploitation. Contact emergency services as well if there is immediate danger. |
| Child sexual abuse imagery found online | Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) | Report suspected child sexual abuse imagery. Do not download, forward or repost it. |
| Sexual images or videos of you, if you are under 18 | Report Remove | A UK service listed for young people under 18 to seek help with sexual images of themselves. |
| Terrorism-related material online | Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) | Refer online material that may be terrorist in nature. |
| Fraud or cybercrime | Action Fraud | The national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. Report the relevant post or account to the platform too. |
| Other suspected crime | Police reporting guidance on GOV.UK | Find the appropriate police route; arrangements can differ across the UK. |
| Harmful content that may be legal | The platform’s reporting process or ReportHarmfulContent | Use the service’s rules and the reporting centre for legal but harmful material; do not assume harmful content is criminal. |
These specialist routes are not interchangeable. If the post fits a specialist category, use that route as well as the platform’s report tool when appropriate. GOV.UK’s online media literacy resources state: “In an emergency always call 999”.
How to report a post on a social media platform
- Check safety. If a person faces immediate danger, call 999 before doing anything else.
- Open the specific content or account. Use the platform’s report control on the post, message, image, video or profile. Choose the closest available reason. Labels and screens vary by service.
- Give identifying context. Include the post or account location and, if the form asks, when it happened, who was involved and what action has already been taken. These are details government guidance says a report may require.
- Keep a record of the report. Note the post URL or account name and retain any confirmation or reference number the platform provides. Do not download, share or repost suspected illegal material, especially child sexual abuse imagery.
- Make an additional referral when relevant. Use the specialist route above for suspected child sexual abuse or exploitation, child sexual abuse imagery, terrorism-related material, fraud or cybercrime. Contact police for other suspected crimes.
- Use the platform’s appeal or complaint route if it does not act. The process depends on the service; there is no single response time or guaranteed outcome.
Government guidance on reporting illegal content to platforms explains that services should have accessible reporting processes and that illegal harms should be reported to law enforcement as soon as the platform becomes aware of them. A platform’s moderation process and a report to police or a specialist service have different purposes.
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Not every offensive or distressing post is unlawful. You can still report it under the platform’s community rules, which may prohibit conduct beyond what the law makes illegal. For legal but harmful material, GOV.UK also points to ReportHarmfulContent. Avoid describing a post as a crime unless you have a sound basis for doing so.
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Ofcom’s role—and why it is not the usual first report
The Online Safety Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. According to the GOV.UK Online Safety Act collection, duties for in-scope platforms to protect users from illegal content applied from 17 March 2025, and child safety duties applied from 25 July 2025. Ofcom regulates covered services and oversees their duties to reduce risks and address illegal content. That regulatory role does not make Ofcom the general first-stop reporting service for an individual post: users should normally start with the platform, emergency services, police or the relevant specialist referral body.
Ofcom’s 2025 annual report describes a specific section 128 function involving notices to deal with terrorism and/or child sexual exploitation and abuse content. This is part of regulatory oversight, not a substitute for contacting emergency services or the appropriate reporting route about an urgent incident.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.UK scope and limits
This guidance is UK-wide in framing, but police administration and non-emergency contact arrangements can vary across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Follow the relevant local police guidance for a non-emergency report. Whether a particular post is illegal depends on its circumstances; this guide cannot determine that from a short description.
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