Help with online hate

In recent years, the tone and hostility towards academics and academic institutions has increasingly intensified and social media has made disputes much more dynamic and escalated.

There are various ways in which academics and university lecturers in particular are attacked: by email, telephone, post, on site, in the media or on social media.

Recommendations for action

If you are attacked in one of these ways in the course of your work at Ruhr-Universität Bochum

• take a moment to assess the situation. It can help to get a trusted person (from your professional or private environment) to help you make an objective assessment. Attacks are usually also emotionally challenging. This is another reason why it is helpful not to remain alone in this situation.
• save the attack in written form. For digital channels, save emails and take screenshots of comments or messages on social media. In the case of phone calls, make a written record of the phone call afterwards.
• contact the University Communications Office (Tel.: 0234 32 22830, e-mail: hochschulkommunikation@rub.de) without hesitation, who will advise you on further steps and help you.
• get one or more people to read and save all content on your behalf if the content is bothering you and/or the volume of emails, messages or calls is high.
• inform your superiors and the legal department (Tel.: 0234 32 28932, e-mail: justitiariat@uv.rub.de) in the event of clear violations of the law (e.g. insults or threats).

Here you will find support

Acute

• In advance: If an attack occurs on campus in person, please call the control room on 0234 32 23333.
• In the event of an acute need for advice, we are available at any time as an editorial team in University Communications.
  E-mail: hochschulkommunikation@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
  Telephone: +49 234 32 22830
• If you are a scientist under attack and need quick help in the evening, at the weekend or on public holidays, we recommend that you contact Scicomm support. It can be reached free of charge by telephone daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on 0157 923 448 04.

Preventive: further training, tips & tools

• The Neuen Medienmacher offer tips and tools for dealing with hate online.
• At Scicomm Support you will also find a detailed guide on how to deal with attacks and unobjective conflicts.
• in 2023, we published a new comment policy for RUBsocial media, including a new netiquette, which may be used by all RUBinstitutions and employees.