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Reporting abusive behavior

Users are allowed to post content, including potentially inflammatory content, provided they do not violate the Twitter Rules and Terms of Service. To read our policy about abusive behavior on Twitter, click here.

Who can report abusive behavior on Twitter?

In order to investigate reports of abusive behaviors, violent threats or a breach of privacy, we need to be in contact with the actual person affected or their authorized representative. We are unable to respond to requests from uninvolved parties regarding those issues to mitigate the likelihood of false or unauthorized reports. If you are not an authorized representative but you are in contact with the individual, encourage the individual to file a report through our forms.

Why can’t Twitter block a user from making new accounts?

IP blocking is generally ineffective at stopping unwanted behavior, and may falsely prevent legitimate users from accessing our service.

IP addresses are commonly shared by numerous different users in a variety of locations, meaning that blocking a single IP may prevent a large number of unconnected users from logging into Twitter. In addition, IP addresses are easy to change and blocks can be easily circumvented by logging in from a different location, a third-party service, or one of many free websites or applications.

Can Twitter give me another user’s information?

Per our Privacy Policy, Twitter does not release user information except as required by valid legal process. If you are working with the police or your lawyer, they will be able to help you with the appropriate correct legal process for obtaining such information. If Twitter is contacted directly by law enforcement, we can work with them and provide assistance for their investigation. You can point local law enforcement to our Guidelines for Law Enforcement.

What should I do if I receive a violent threat?

If someone has Tweeted a violent threat that you feel is credible, contact law enforcement so they can accurately assess the validity of the threat. Websites do not have the ability to investigate and assess a threat, bring charges or prosecute individuals. If contacted by law enforcement directly, we can work with them and provide the necessary information for their investigation of your issue.  Click here to report a violent threat.

How do I file a report that someone is tweeting abusive messages?

You can file a report that someone is posting abusive messages by going to this page.

What happens when Twitter receives a valid report?

Once you have submitted your report, we will review the reported account, including the links to Tweets you’d like us to investigate. If the account is in violation of our policies, we will take action, ranging from warning the user up to permanently suspending the account.