Guide Quick checklist for social media preparedness

A quick overview of how to find out what things you should have prepared before situations on social media occur, applies to cases in which the cyber hate is coming from external sources.

This is especially useful for organizations that work with public opinion, special interests, or supporting human rights.

To consider and prepare, a checklist

  • Clear core values. It is important to have a clear foundation of core values that staff of active members of the organizations can refer to in the administration of your channels online. 
  • Action plan. Have a prepared plan for dealing with cyber hate/threats.
  • Make sure a person has responsibility for your channels and continuously reviews them. 
  • Administrate your channels! If something controversial happens, or if you are a public organization, make sure there are resources for people to administrate your comment sections. When active members or staff are attacked or witness an aggressive tone in your channels, people are silenced and in the long wrong this leads to them not feeling safe.
  • All staff or active members should know about the action plan, what to do, and who is responsible.
  • Avoid working alone in contact with cyber hate. Cyber hate has consequences for the individual, make sure you support each other.
  • The internet is real. If you are going to have physical meetings and you have problems with cyber hate, think about where you publish information about the meetings.
  • Recovery and follow-ups. If you are active in a public conversation, make sure to set aside recovery time after a public debate for example and the criticism/hate/threats that may arise. If someone is attacked, follow up with that person’s wellbeing. Have a crisis plan ready with more steps. The most important thing is that the person feels supported and that the organization or association backs them up.
  • Remove your numbers from as many public places as possible (for example, Eniro or Hitta). The Cyber Hate Assistant has guides for this.
  • Make profiles private before public appearances or if you have an elected position.
  • Install the app Truecaller if you want to make it impossible for unknown numbers to call you.
  • Install the app TapeACall if you have an iPhone (and try it out before to see if it works), or have a computer prepared if someone calls you so that you can record the conversation via Photo Booth or another recording function on the computer. Answer the phone call on speakerphone.