How many hours a day do you spend on social media? Our generation is known to be “glued” to our phones and comfortable using social media as a primary means of communication about all aspects of our lives. 

Unfortunately, social media posts are not always positive, and more and more “hate pages” are popping up. Hate pages are social media pages dedicated to talking badly about a particular person, posting pictures or screenshots of negative text messages about them, or exposing secrets they may have.

They are a form of online bullying that is usually posted anonymously, most often on Instagram, using a burner account–an anonymous, sometimes temporary social media account–to hide the bully’s identity.  When people think no one knows who they are, they can be particularly vicious.

So, what can you do if you discover that someone has created a hate page about you? According to stopbullying.gov, victims of hate pages should not engage the bully or try to respond, which may serve to escalate the bullying and the attention it is receiving.

Victims should also block the poster on social media, and report the hate page to Instagram or another online service provider.

With that being said, the post may not disappear immediately.  Even if the hate page is taken down, there’s no guarantee that the poster won’t make another burner account and re-post the hate page. If that happens, continue to block and report. Keep evidence of cyberbullying by recording the dates, times, and descriptions of instances when cyberbullying has occurred and saving screenshots, emails, and text messages. 

Students are often reluctant to come forward and ask for help when they are being cyber-bullied. But it’s important to turn to your support system of family and friends for help and to report the online bullying to the school administration if applicable to the situation. Kingsway has an anonymous reporting system if you’re uncomfortable reaching out directly.

Finally, and most importantly, if the hate page goes beyond taunting and is threatening in any way, you and your parents should immediately report the threats to law enforcement.