3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

What To Do If Harassed On Instructables

What To Do If Harassed On Instructables
Instructables is a family of DIYers with members world wide. Notice the emphasis on family. Sometimes (thankfully not very often) a few bad apples sneak in and disrupt our family. Dealing with this type of situation is the subject of this Instructable.

This is a family-friendly site where members are expected to follow the Be Nice policy that is shown at the bottom of message entry fields. The policy gets stretched quite a bit, but, most of the time, the members on Instructables all get along just fine. They laugh, joke, and talk like family and old friends. But there have been a few incidents where some have sent inappropriate messages and pictures to others.

Harassment will not be tolerated on Instructables! If you are being harassed, you do NOT have to put up with it.

As with any other form of bullying, victims of harassment often suffer in silence.
Perhaps they feel that the treatment they receive is somehow their own fault, as if they invited it somehow.
Perhaps they feel that to report it will invite something worse.
Perhaps they fear ridicule from other site users for not being able to deal with the harasser, or for being too sensitive about it.
Whatever the reason, there is no reason to suffer in silence. Tell somebody, even if you don't want them to take action right away.

If nobody knows about a problem, the problem cannot be solved.

If you are being harassed and don't know what to do, read on ...
 
Remove these adsRemove these ads by Signing Up
 

Step 1What Is Harassment?

What Is Harassment?
Harassment can come in many forms and includes:

  • Threats of physical harm.
  • Demeaning or insulting comments.
  • Any comments after you have informed the sender that you do not want to communicate with them.
  • Cyber-bullying.
  • Other forms of harassment can become a very gray area, sometimes defined by the target more so than by others. If the message makes you uncomfortable, it may be harassment.

What is NOT Harassment?


  • A polite invitation to chat. If you feel comfortable contacting the person, respond with a "Thanks, but I'm not interested.", otherwise, ignore it.
  • A "compliment" is not necessarily harassment. "You're pretty" or "You have nice hair" is not always harassment, but "You're hot! I want you!" is. Continued unwanted compliments is harassment.

We do have to be careful not to be TOO overly sensitive, nor to react too quickly when it is a case of uncertainty. It can be difficult to communicate via text only and some people just have poor social skills, so the sender may not realize that their message is offensive to you.

But if you feel harassed or uncomfortable, by all means, tell someone. They can help you determine the intent of the message(s) and advise you as to what further steps to take.
« Previous StepDownload PDFView All StepsNext Step »
125 comments
1-40 of 125next »
Nov 1, 2009. 7:05 PMKnexFreek says:
 Help please. i have been harassed on my slideshow. I dont know who i can report it to. Please help!

Apr 13, 2011. 3:43 AMtaowyman says:
what does the FLAG mean
Apr 13, 2011. 12:06 PMtaowyman says:
ok thank you
Nov 4, 2009. 9:27 PMKnexFreek says:
an admin has now helped me. Thankyou tho.

-kevin
Jul 11, 2010. 4:13 PMRandomguy65 says:
I also realized it was K'nex....
May 20, 2010. 6:22 PMprodo123 says:
Does a lot better job than what school teaches you, eh?
Mar 22, 2010. 7:52 PMacidbass says:
 i like that this was done 
Mar 7, 2010. 2:54 PMstruckbyanarrow says:
i love the picture on step one!
Oct 30, 2009. 4:24 PMeulaliaaaa! says:
You should change the main image so it shows the robot using an Altoids laptop or something.
Oct 30, 2008. 6:02 AMrimar2000 says:
This article is very interesting and very useful. You should consider also the idiomatic problem. Instructables is a page in English, and therefore I should adapt me her, but not always (perhaps would should to say almost never) the translations express what I mean. Perhaps someone can be felt offended by some my expression, due only to a bad translation.
Oct 30, 2008. 5:40 PMrimar2000 says:
Pardon, is this a fake?

If it is not, thanks by the offering and the good will.

How can I to know if the translation is or not correct?

I don't speak English, I speak Spanish. Barely I can realize some inversions of words. I use http://ets.freetranslation.com/ that is very good, but there are words in Spanish (just like in English) that signify two or more different things, and no automatic translator would be able to guess always which is the meaning that I need.
Oct 23, 2009. 8:13 PMKnexFreek says:
Actually you are doing very well. Also your grammer is very good. Good job.
 Sincerely
- your english speaking buddy

By the way, if you are worried about your grammer, private message me the message that you are about to send someone, and i will fix the grammer. After 3:30 eastern standard time, I check my messages every 15 minutes. But, If I have to leave the house, it may take a max of one hour for me to respond.
Oct 31, 2008. 3:09 AMrimar2000 says:
Oh, thanks. Now I understand.
Oct 30, 2008. 5:44 PMrimar2000 says:
When I write fake I must write joke
Sep 17, 2009. 3:27 PMFrozenStar says:
lol awesome drawings
Jul 29, 2009. 2:29 PMbounty1012 says:
is that a knex gun that "rambot" has?
Jul 29, 2009. 9:55 PMcasey321b says:
Yup. 'Ible Bot POWNZ
Sep 2, 2009. 5:01 PMFoaly7 says:
Um, thats actually spelled PWNs or in your case PWNZ
Jul 29, 2009. 11:24 PMbounty1012 says:
Not instructables doggie XD its some other guy...
Jul 29, 2009. 11:23 PMbounty1012 says:
yup, so does that pic of instructablesdoggie and kiteman XD
Aug 27, 2009. 5:36 PMFoaly7 says:
I knew that was kiteman
Aug 28, 2009. 4:37 PMbounty1012 says:
ye.
Oct 31, 2008. 11:57 PMskunkbait says:
Great job! Well written, and great 'toons. As a side note, I need someone to contact Mrs. Skunkbait. She's been harassing me mercilessly lately: "Don't use my scissors to skin that deer! Don't put that big pistol in my purse, carry it yourself! Get that carburator out of my sink! Gimmie my computer back! You smell like gasoline/deisel/gunpowder! No, I won't clean another squirrel today! I don't feel like push-starting your Harley today!" I've got the patience of Job, but I need some help here!
Jul 29, 2009. 9:51 AM=SMART= says:
"You smell like gasoline/deisel/gunpowder" Uhhh BEST SMELL EVER ??!!??
Jul 29, 2009. 11:28 AMskunkbait says:
I know, right? The best smell EVER!!!!
Jun 13, 2009. 11:07 AMSteamdnt says:
You should report her to Randofo... LOL
Jun 13, 2009. 8:27 PMskunkbait says:
I might just do that!
Nov 2, 2008. 3:38 PMLithium Rain says:
>:(
Jun 12, 2009. 11:10 AMzoltzerino says:
Kerosene...
Jan 23, 2009. 10:47 PMDrWeird117 says:
Sigh...WHY WAS A LINK NEEDED THERE? WHY?
Aug 28, 2009. 4:39 PMbounty1012 says:
World Wide Web and I believe the other one stands for Hyper Text
Feb 12, 2009. 4:29 PMDrWeird117 says:
Why do you begin every line with a period?
1-40 of 125next »

Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

All Steps Viewing
View all steps of an Instructable on the same page when you're a Pro Member.

Upgrade to Pro today!
55
Followers
3
Author:NachoMahma
Just another poor slob, trying to make it to the grave with as little hassle as possible. . Humor is the only test of gravity, and gravity of humor; for a subject which will not bear raillery is susp...
more »