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Evidence Collection Guide

Platform-specific instructions for capturing evidence of online abuse. Select a platform below.

🕐

Act fast

Capture evidence before content is deleted. Stories, Snaps, and Lives are especially time-sensitive.

📱

Use a second device

Photograph your screen with another phone to avoid screenshot notifications.

🚫

Don't block yet

Blocking hides their content from you. Wait until you've captured all evidence.

📅

Log everything

Record the date, time, and platform for each piece of evidence.

💾

Back up immediately

Email screenshots to yourself or save to cloud storage.

🔗

Save URLs

Permanent links are more persuasive than screenshots alone.

Select your platform

Instagram

Instagram Evidence Guide

Posts & Reels

  1. Open the post and take a full screenshot showing the content, username, timestamp, and like/comment count.
  2. Tap the three-dot menu (⋯) → Copy Link. Paste and save this URL — it's the permanent link to the post.
  3. If there are abusive comments, scroll through and screenshot each batch. Make sure usernames and timestamps are visible.
  4. For Reels, use your phone's screen recording to capture video content before it can be deleted.

Stories

  1. Stories disappear after 24 hours — act quickly. Screenshot or screen-record immediately.
  2. Capture the username and profile picture at the top of the story, plus any text, stickers or mentions.
  3. If you screen-record, note the exact time you viewed it (e.g. 'Viewed at 3:42pm AEST on 15 March').
  4. Check if the story has been added to a Highlight — if so, it won't expire and you have more time.

⚠️Instagram may notify the user if you screenshot a disappearing DM photo, but NOT for Stories.

Direct Messages

  1. Screenshot the full conversation thread — scroll from the earliest abusive message to the latest.
  2. Make sure each screenshot shows both your username and the sender's username.
  3. For voice messages, use screen recording with audio enabled.
  4. If the chat includes disappearing messages (shimmering effect), screenshot before leaving the chat.

⚠️Do not 'Unsend' any of your own messages in the thread — it may weaken the evidence chain.

Profile & Account Info

  1. Screenshot the offender's profile page showing username, display name, bio, follower count, and profile photo.
  2. If they have multiple accounts harassing you, document each one separately.
  3. Check their followers/following list — screenshot if you spot coordinated accounts.
Facebook

Facebook Evidence Guide

Posts & Comments

  1. Click the timestamp on the post to open it in its own page — this gives you the permanent URL.
  2. Screenshot the post showing content, author name, timestamp, and reactions.
  3. Expand all comments (click 'View more comments') and screenshot each abusive comment with its author and timestamp.
  4. If the post is in a Group, also capture the Group name and URL.

Messenger

  1. Screenshot the full message thread showing both participants' names.
  2. For long threads, scroll from top to bottom, taking sequential screenshots.
  3. You can also download your Facebook data: Settings → Your Information →
  4. Download Your Information → select Messages.
  5. For voice/video calls, note the date, time, and duration from the chat log.

Profile & Page Info

  1. Screenshot the offender's profile showing their name, profile URL, cover photo, and About info.
  2. Copy the profile URL from the address bar (e.g. facebook.com/username or facebook.com/profile.php?id=...).
  3. If it's a Page, capture the Page name, category, and creation date.
X / Twitter

X / Twitter Evidence Guide

Posts (Tweets)

  1. Click the timestamp to open the post on its own page — copy this URL.
  2. Screenshot showing the full post, author's handle (@username), display name, timestamp, and engagement counts.
  3. If the post is a reply in a thread, capture the parent post for context.
  4. For quote-tweets or reposts, screenshot both the original and the repost.

Direct Messages

  1. Screenshot the DM conversation showing both participants' handles.
  2. Capture the full thread from earliest to latest message.
  3. Note: X does not currently allow bulk export of DMs, so screenshots are your primary method.

⚠️If you've been blocked, you may lose access to DM history. Capture evidence before blocking back.

Spaces & Live

  1. If abuse occurs in a Space, use screen recording with audio immediately.
  2. Note the Space title, host's handle, and approximate time of the abusive content.
  3. Screenshot the participant list if possible.

Account Info

  1. Screenshot the profile showing handle, display name, bio, join date, and follower count.
  2. Copy the profile URL: x.com/username.
  3. If the account is new or appears to be a bot/sock puppet, note the join date and posting patterns.
TikTok

TikTok Evidence Guide

Videos

  1. Use screen recording to capture the full video including the creator's username, caption, and sounds used.
  2. Tap Share → Copy Link to save the permanent URL.
  3. Screenshot abusive comments — tap 'View all comments', then screenshot in batches.
  4. For duets or stitches, capture both the original and the response video.

Live Streams

  1. Screen-record the live immediately — lives are not saved by default.

  2. Capture the host's username, viewer count, and any abusive comments or gifts in the chat.

  3. Note the exact date and time you joined the live.

⚠️Lives are ephemeral. If you don't capture it now, it's likely gone forever.

Direct Messages

  1. Screenshot the full conversation thread showing both usernames.
  2. For video or photo messages, use screen recording before they expire.

Profile

  1. Screenshot the profile showing username, display name, bio, follower count, and video count.
  2. Copy the profile URL: tiktok.com/@username.
Snapchat

Snapchat Evidence Guide

Snaps & Stories

  1. Screenshot or screen-record immediately — Snaps are designed to disappear.
  2. For Stories, capture the username and the story content in a single screenshot if possible.
  3. Use another device to photograph your screen if you're concerned about screenshot notifications.

⚠️Snapchat notifies the sender when you screenshot a Snap or chat. Consider using a second device to photograph the screen instead.

Chat Messages

  1. Screenshot the chat showing both usernames and the full conversation.
  2. If messages are set to 'delete after viewing', you must capture them in real time.
  3. Save messages in chat by pressing and holding on a message (this prevents auto-deletion).

Profile & Snapcode

  1. Screenshot the user's profile showing display name and Snapcode.
  2. Note their Snap score and any mutual friends.
YouTube

YouTube Evidence Guide

Videos

  1. Copy the video URL from the address bar or Share button.
  2. Screenshot the video title, channel name, upload date, and view count.
  3. Use screen recording if the video itself contains abusive content.
  4. Use Archive.org's Wayback Machine to save a snapshot of the page in case the video is removed.

Comments

  1. Screenshot each abusive comment showing the commenter's name, timestamp, and the comment text.
  2. Click the commenter's profile to screenshot their channel name and About page.
  3. If the comment is a reply, capture the parent comment for context.

Live Streams & Chat

  1. Screen-record the stream with live chat visible.
  2. Note the channel name, stream title, and the time of abusive content.
  3. After the stream ends, check if it's saved as a VOD — if so, copy the URL and timestamp.
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