Seen it online? Don’t share it. Report it.

Reading Time: 3.6 mins

Published: October 28, 2026

When a video or photo of someone being hurt, humiliated or targeted is shared online, it can feel easier for children and young people to ignore it or go along with it than to speak up, especially when their friends are the ones sharing it. Here’s how to help those in your care understand why reporting matters more than ignoring or resharing.

Harmful content is often reposted online or shared around group chats because people want to raise awareness or criticise what they have seen. However, this can affect real people’s lives and sometimes the police have to step in to ask people to do the opposite: delete it and report it.

We should never reshare graphic or violent content, whether it involves local people, someone from school, or footage of a real incident involving identifiable people. Sharing it can breach platform rules and, in some cases, be a criminal offence. It can also interfere with a police investigation. It’s important to remember we may not know the full story so it’s best not to speculate, name anyone involved or identify a school, especially if police are investigating.

What should never be shared, posted or saved

Videos or images of fights, assaults or someone being hurt
Content that humiliates, bullies or targets another person
Videos or images of others shared without their consent, especially of someone who is under 18
Footage linked to an ongoing police investigation
Any nude or sexual image of someone under 18, even if it is AI-generated. It is illegal to make, share or keep. If one is sent to a child or young person, they should not forward it, even to show an adult. They will not be blamed for receiving it and should tell a trusted adult

If young people see content that is violent or dangerous – Do the right thing: don’t reshare, don’t ignore, report.

Remind children and young people that reporting isn’t snitching. It’s part of being a good digital citizen and making online spaces safer. It’s a good opportunity to reinforce that we should always be kind online because every profile belongs to a real person with genuine feelings. Resharing can embarrass, retraumatise or even put the people in the video in harm’s way (for example, through retaliation).

Check out Our Safety Centre for advice on reporting on different platforms.

Visit our safety centre

Conversation starters you can try

What would you do if you saw a video of someone you knew who didn’t want it posted?

(If they say they’d ignore it, encourage them to go a step further and report it).

Do you think it’s okay to reshare something if a lot of your friends have already shared it? Why or why not?

How might someone feel if a photo or video of them was shared without their consent?

Remind children and young people that they can talk to you or another trusted adult if they see something online that makes them feel uncomfortable, especially if they’re the one being targeted. Let them know they will not be in trouble for telling you, and that you will listen before deciding together what happens next.

If a nude or semi-nude image of them is being shared and they are under 18, even if the image is AI-generated, they can use the Report Remove tool from Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation to help get it taken down. Adults can report it to CEOP or the Internet Watch Foundation.

childline’s report remove tool

For support on AI content and misinformation, professionals can access the T-R-U-T-H Checker shareable on the Teach Hub.

Visit the teach hub

Final Thought

Behind every clip is a real child who did not choose to be seen this way. Each share adds to what they are going through. Each report helps limit how far it spreads. Talk to young people about what they would do if something like this lands in their feed or messages, so reporting feels normal and becomes their first instinct.

Check out the Safer Schools Digital Proficiency Course and Test in your Safer Schools App to learn more about reporting and where to go for support. Courses are available for professionals, parents and carers and pupils of all ages, including SEND/ASL settings.