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Reporting Illegal Content to Hootsuite

Last updated: February 16, 2024


This page describes how you can report illegal content to Hootsuite, plus some guidance on the type of information to provide, what constitutes illegal content and what Hootsuite does after you report illegal content.  

Note that if you have identified illegal content on a social network (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, etc.), you should report that content directly to the applicable social network, as Hootsuite will not be able to remove it from the social network. You can use the illegal content reporting process described on this page for content that exists in the Hootsuite platform or that is hosted by Hootsuite.

If there is content on Hootsuite that you believe infringes a person’s intellectual property, please report it to Hootsuite by following the instructions on our “Hootsuite Copyright Policy” page, rather than using the illegal content reporting form on this page.


Reporting illegal content to Hootsuite

If you believe that content in the Hootsuite platform or content that is hosted by Hootsuite is illegal, you can report this to Hootsuite by using our report form below.


Important: When you report content as illegal, please be specific and provide supporting evidence to allow us to make an informed decision. If the report does not contain enough information for Hootsuite to clearly assess whether the content is illegal, we will either request further information from you or decline to remove the applicable content.

Any personal information collected in connection with this form will be used by Hootsuite in accordance with our privacy policy.

Guidance on Reporting

Anyone can report illegal content to Hootsuite. The illegal content does not need to be about you or someone you know. 

As mentioned above, note that if you have identified illegal content on a social network (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, etc.), you should report that content directly to the applicable social network, as Hootsuite will not be able to remove it from the social network. You can use the reporting page on this page for content that exists in the Hootsuite platform or that is hosted by Hootsuite.

Please consider the following high-level guidance when completing the reporting form:

  • Provide clear information and be as specific as possible. 

  • Provide any detail and context you can which will support your report and help us to make a decision.

  • While not required for you to file a report, if you are able to do so, we ask you to provide details of the law and/or Hootsuite policy that you think the content violates. We ask that you be as specific as possible to allow us to properly assess your report.

  • In some cases it may be easy to identify that content is illegal, whereas in others it may be less clear. It’s also important to note that what may be considered illegal in one country may not be considered illegal in another country. In general, some examples of content that would be considered illegal include content that: incites violence, hatred, or discrimination; relates to child sexual exploitation; involves the non-consensual sharing of intimate images; relates to organized crime; constitutes harassment or defamation; or violates an individual’s privacy rights. This list is not exhaustive, however, and you may report any content that you believe is illegal. 

  • You may also use the form to report content that you believe breaches Hootsuite’s Acceptable Use Rules, which apply to all Hootsuite users and establishes what Hootsuite does and does not allow on the Hootsuite platform.

Providing us with the above information allows us to make an informed decision regarding whether to take any action as a result of your report. If your report does not contain enough information for Hootsuite to clearly assess whether the content is illegal, we will either request more information from you or decline to remove the applicable content.


What happens after you report illegal content?

Once you have submitted the illegal content form, Hootsuite will confirm that it has received your submission (if you opted to share your contact details) and will carefully review the information you have provided to validate whether or not the content you have described is illegal or otherwise breaches Hootsuite’s acceptable use rules. If our review confirms that the content is illegal or breaches Hootsuite’s acceptable use rules, then we will remove the content from the Hootsuite platform and provide the content owner with a summary of our reasons for taking this action. If our review concludes that the content is not illegal and does not breach Hootsuite’s acceptable use rules, then we will not remove the content from the Hootsuite platform. If the information you provided is not sufficient for Hootsuite to conclude that the content is illegal or breaches Hootsuite’s acceptable use rules, we will either request more information from you or decline to remove the applicable content. In any event, we will respond to your report and let you know the outcome of our review (if you opted to share your contact details when submitting your report to Hootsuite).