Abusive behaviour ... internet trolls have set up fake social networking profiles to ridicule public servants. Source: ThinkStock
SCARED public servants are being granted anonymity and silent phone numbers to stop angry Australians abusing them on social media.
Bullied bureaucrats have been stalked, spammed and sworn at by members of the public using mobile phones, social media and email.
Some disgruntled government clients have set up fake social networking profiles of public servants, to ridicule or humiliate them.
Doctored photos and videos of public service staffers have been posted online without their permission.
Cyber bullies have belittled bureaucrats by setting up online polls to rate their competence.
Employees' personal details - including their home address and car registration details - have even been posted online.
The extent of the abuse is outlined in the first Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) guidelines on cyber bullying, which let public servants remain anonymous when dealing with the public.
The APSC says government agencies must balance "efficient service delivery'' with the "safety and wellbeing of employees''.
"Agencies may need to consider a less personalised approach, where necessary, to service delivery, in which APS employees are not identified by name, and where emails to agency clients come from a generic mailbox rather than a personal address,'' it states.
"It may be appropriate for agencies to divert offensive emails to a single source to minimise the impact on staff.''
Campaign of hate ... cyber bullies have even doctored photos of public servants and posted them online. Source: News Limited
"Dealing with members of the public who are demanding, abusive or aggressive can be stressful and at times frightening for employees,'' it says.
"Employees may have concerns about their personal security, and may feel the impact of stress on their health.''
The APSC advises agencies to change an employee's contact details - or erase them from departmental contact lists - if they have been threatened.
"This could also extend in some circumstances to assisting employees to obtain a silent personal phone number, or silent elector status on the electoral roll, if the employee believes that they or their family could be at risk,'' it says.
The guidelines "encourage'' public servants not to post personal photos online.
"It may also be appropriate for employees to consider removing personal online details and public photos to protect themselves from malicious attacks using their personal information,'' the guidelines state.
The APSC insists it will not help staff sue members of the public who defame them.
"Funding defamation proceedings could give rise to a public perception that the Government was seeking to prevent legitimate criticism,'' it says.
"The policy is the same even if the employee offers to pay to the Commonwealth any damages which they may receive.''
A Community and Public Sector Union spokesman said government funding cuts were reducing services to the public and increasing waiting times.
"Where that abuse comes from is that people are frustrated because they can't get services,'' he said.
"That comes from the government cutting resources to the public sector, and when people get delays they now have another way to vent, online.''
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