Messenger speeds up reporting with tools to flag harassment, impersonation

Getting harassed on Messenger, or receiving chat messages from someone who is not who they say they are? Messenger now has reporting tools built into the app, allowing users to report Community Standards violations to get the message reviewed quickly.

Facebook announced an app update for Messenger that brings the reporting tools to iOS and Android on Monday, May 14. Facebook also recently launched a Youth Portal, a spot designed to help teenagers navigate Facebook’s privacy settings.

While users could already report messages using Messenger on a desktop computer, the latest update brings the tools to Messenger’s mobile app. After updating the app, users can now find reporting options in the Contact menu for each person they’re chatting with on Messenger. The options are accessible by tapping the name of the person inside the chat. Scrolling all the way to the bottom of the contact menu, users will now find a “Something’s Wrong” option. Tapping the tool allows users to choose from a list of offenses against Community Guidelines, like hate speech or pretending to be someone else.

From the same menu, users can also ignore or block the user to prevent seeing future messages.

“Providing more granular reporting options in Messenger makes it faster and easier to report things for our Community Operations team to review,” Hadi Michel, Messenger product panager, wrote in a blog post. “They review reports in over 50 languages. This means our community will see issues addressed faster so they can continue to have positive experiences on Messenger.”

Following the new Messenger tools, Facebook on Tuesday, May 15 launched the Youth Portal, a tool designed to help teenagers navigate Facebook’s privacy options and help young users find the tools for reporting content. The Teen Portal has four main areas. An education section shares info on staying safe, understanding Facebook’s data policies, and making the most of the different Facebook products. Another area contains tips for security, reporting, and deciding what to share, while another shares advice and guidelines about social media and internet use in general. A peer voice section shares teen perspectives on how youth are using Facebook and other technology in different ways.

Along with launching the portal online at facebook.com/saftey/youth, the social media giant is also displaying tips for teenagers directly inside the News Feed.