When does messaging cross the line into harassment?

There is no single magic number. Repeated unwanted contact, threats, or behaviour that would make a reasonable person feel scared or distressed can be harassment under UK law. If it feels like harassment to you, that is enough reason to report.

Will reporting to the police make it worse?

It usually makes it better, not worse. Police can give the person a harassment warning, look at the messages, and tell them clearly to stop. If you are worried about escalation, tell the officer that. They can plan around it.

What if I do not know who is behind the account?

You can still report. Platforms and police can sometimes trace accounts back to a real person, and even when they cannot, the report still helps the platform take action against the account itself.

Harassment and threats online

What counts as harassment or a threat online, what your rights are, and how to report it safely under UK law.

Harassment is when someone keeps targeting you in a way that makes you feel scared, distressed, or unable to use a space normally. It can be one person sending repeated messages, a group piling on, or someone making threats about what they will do to you, your family, or your reputation. In the UK, harassment, threats of violence, and threats to share private images are all crimes under various laws, including the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and the Online Safety Act 2023.

You do not have to put up with this to be polite or to keep the peace. The law protects you specifically because no one is supposed to have to earn the right to feel safe online. Reporting is not snitching or overreacting. It is using the systems that exist for exactly this reason.

What this looks like in real life

Real examples

Someone keeps messaging you after you said stop, using different accounts when you block them.
A group chat is sharing your details and encouraging people to message you.
Someone has threatened to come to your school, your home, or hurt someone you care about.
A person is threatening to share images, screenshots, or personal information unless you do something.
You are getting messages that mention your address, school, or family in a way that feels like a warning.

What you can do

Step 1

Screenshot everything, including dates, times, usernames, and URLs, before you block.

Step 2

Use the in-platform report tool. Most major platforms have specific options for threats and harassment.

Step 3

Block, mute, and restrict the account and any new accounts the person uses to come back.

Step 4

Tell a trusted adult and your school if any of it involves people from school.

Step 5

Report to the police (101 for non-emergency, 999 if it is happening now and you feel unsafe).

Step 6

Keep a simple log: date, what happened, where, and how it made you feel. This helps any later report.

What not to do

Do not reply to threats, even to defend yourself. Anything you send can be screenshotted and used to twist the story.
Do not delete messages before screenshotting. You may need them later.
Do not try to handle a credible threat on your own. Threats to your safety are exactly what the police are for.

Who you can talk to

People who can help

A parent, carer, or older relative you trust.
Your school's designated safeguarding lead (DSL) or head of year.
Childline on 0800 1111 for support and to think things through.
Police on 101 for non-emergency reports, or 999 if you feel in danger right now.
Report Harmful Content (an organisation that can help when platforms ignore reports).

If something goes wrong

If a threat feels real, treat it as real. Call 999 if you are scared something will happen now, or 101 to report it as a crime. None of this is overreacting. You can also ask Childline to help you think through what to do, and your school can act if any of the people involved go there. Asking for help early gives you more options, not fewer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Trusted UK sources

Report to the police (GOV.UK)
Online bullying advice (Childline)
Report Harmful Content (UK Safer Internet Centre)

Last reviewed: 2026-05-20Next review: 2026-08-20Reviewed against: UK statutory guidance

This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.