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Browse FAQs » Report Abuse or Policy Violation
  • What should I do if I believe a Mugger is a danger to themselves or others or is in danger of being harmed?
    Although rare, sometimes people post things online that suggest they’re either suicidal, may harm someone else, or are in physical ...

    Although rare, sometimes people post things online that suggest they’re either suicidal, may harm someone else, or are in physical danger.

    Emergencies: Call 911

    If you believe it’s an emergency- that someone is in immediate danger- call 911.

    Non-Emergencies: Contact Admin/ Report to Us

    If you see something to this effect and it is not an emergency, please use the report button or send an email to Just Asking. You may also report anonymously by logging out of answerMug and using the Contact Admin link at the bottom of a page.

    In accordance with our privacy policy, we perform our own internal investigation and may make a determination to contact the authorities and supply them with information as needed. We also work with law enforcement agencies as they contact us for information.

    That said, we also value privacy immensely. We can’t tell you what actions we’ve taken, nor can we provide you with personal info about other Muggers.

    Suicide Risk

    We’re not mental health professionals, so we cannot advise on mental health concerns. However, you may find the following resources helpful…

    24-Hour Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

    Suicide Prevention Lifeline Website: www.SuicidePreventionLifeline.org

    Lifeline Live Chat: www.SuicidePreventionLifeline.org/Chat

    Links for Someone Considering Suicide: www.Metanoia.org/Suicide, www.HelpGuide.org

    Non-Emergency Online Counseling (Discount Rates for Low-Income Individuals): BetterHelp.com           

    Global Directory of Emergency Resources: www.BetterHelp.com/GetHelpNow

    Risk to You or Others

    Don’t assume someone is trolling if they’re talking about causing harm to others or say they’re in danger. If someone is threatening you or you have details on the individual making worrisome remarks, it may be beneficial for you to get in touch with a local law enforcement agency in addition to notifying answerMug. You may also find the following resources helpful…

    Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

    National Network to End Domestic Violence: (NNEDV) Safety Net Project: www.nnedv.org/safetynet

    Safety Net Resources on Online Safety: www.techsafety.org/resources

    Safety Net’s Technology Safety Materials: www.nnedv.org/safetynetdocs

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  • What is the Feedback tab for?
    The Feedback tab can be used anytime you want to speak directly with the admin. It gives you the equivalent of a private inbox, where you...
    The Feedback tab can be used anytime you want to speak directly with the admin. It gives you the equivalent of a private inbox, where you can talk about your thoughts, ideas, or concerns and the admin will respond by either changing the status or commenting back to you.


    You can use the Feedback tab for reporting issues as well, but please be sure to include a link to the troublesome content if you do.
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  • How can I tell which moderators are online?
    Like members, moderators have the option of logging out of the instant message system and can choose not to appear in the directory or "A...
    Like members, moderators have the option of logging out of the instant message system and can choose not to appear in the directory or "Active Now" lists, so you cannot tell which moderators or admins are on the site at any given time. Moreover, our moderators are unpaid volunteers who help catch things during their normal use of the site, so we ask that you not contact them directly with issues. They're not on any kind of schedule or rotation.


    However, if you have an issue, you can report content, use the feedback button, use the contact admin button, or send Just Asking an email. You'll receive a response as quickly as possible. 
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  • What should I do if someone harasses or stalks me on answerMug?
    We take allegations of stalking and harassment very seriously. These kinds of actions violate our terms of service, and can result in the...
    We take allegations of stalking and harassment very seriously. These kinds of actions violate our terms of service, and can result in the other party being suspended or permanently removed from the site. If you're being stalked or harassed here on answerMug, please report the issue to the admin.


    With this said, we'd also like to clarify what constitutes stalking and harassment.
    Black's Law Dictionary defines it as:

    "A course of conduct directed at a specific person that causes substantial emotional distress in such person and serves no legitimate purpose" or "Words, gestures, and actions which tend to annoy, alarm and abuse (verbally) another person."

    Working to End Online Abuse (WHO@) adds:
    This is of course a very broad definition, which state and federal legislation and common law have narrowed and refined in various ways. However, for our purposes, WHOA defines online harassment as any actions that meet the qualifications of the above definition after the harasser has been told to cease.If someone simply disagrees with you, however strongly or unpleasantly, that isn't harassment. Someone who sends you a single email message that isn't overtly threatening probably hasn't harassed you. Spam, while very annoying, isn't harassment. And messages posted to any open venue, such as a newsgroup, a web-based board, an AOL discussion forum or a chat room, are seldom truly harassing unless they're forged to appear to come from you or contain direct threats or libelous statements. The same goes for things said on someone else's web site. Harassment usually involves repeated communications via email or some sort of instant messaging program after the harasser has clearly been told to go away.

    To clarify, we don't consider it harassment for someone to interact on the main areas of the site, as long as they aren't spreading damaging lies about you or threatening you. If all they're doing is answering questions or disagreeing with you, we won't take action against them. However, if they are breaking our policies, or even if you think they may be, you can (and should) report the issue.


    If someone is sending you unsolicited emails, we suggest that you unfriend them (only your friends and the answerMug team can email you) and notify the admin of what was sent.


    You also have the ability to block someone from sending you private messages via chat. Again, we suggest that you block the other party and notify the admin.


    If the issue is occurring in a group chatroom, you may notify a moderator/ admin via chat if one is listed as being online. If you don't see one listed, please report the issue via one of our other reporting options or through a direct message to the admin.




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  • How do I report or block someone here?
    answerMug does not have a blocking system. Instead, we do our best to provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all, and we monitor/ mo...
    answerMug does not have a blocking system. Instead, we do our best to provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all, and we monitor/ moderate issues as necessary. Habitual "troubled" Muggers are escorted out. 


    If you're having trouble with a specific member because they're bullying, attacking, stalking, or otherwise violating our TOS, please report them. Most content includes "report" flags that you may use to notify the admin. You may also use the "Feedback" tab to talk with the admin. The Feedback reports allow for messages back and forth between you and the admin, so you'll always know if your report was seen and what action was taken as a result of your report. The "Feedback" tab is located on the left side of the screen for desktop users or in the main menu under home. You may also access the Feedback page here. 


    We understand that sometimes people don't want their names attached when they're reporting something. To be clear, your report is never shared with members and the creator of the content that was reported is never told whether the issue was something the mods caught on their own or if someone reported it. Moreover, content is never removed because it was reported. It's removed when it violates our TOS. No amount of reports for content that don't violate the TOS will result in it being removed. At any rate, if you have concerns over remaining anonymous when you report, please log out of your account or open a private/ incognito window. Then, file your report using the "Contact Admin" link found in the footer menu.

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