Safety Tips

Formspring Safety

Keeping Formspring safe and fun for all of our users is a top priority. Being part of our community means following our Community Rules and Terms of Service. Our Safety Tips will give you basic pointers about being smart and responsible on Formspring and across the Web. Also be sure to check out our full Help Center.

General Safety

When you're online, there are some important safety precautions you should always keep in mind:

  • Be smart about the content you share. Never share personal information like phone numbers, email addresses or home addresses on your page. If you make your account Protected, you can control who sees what you post.
  • Block and report users who break our Terms of Service, and tell an adult if you're being targeted. Don't respond to questions that are inappropriate or abusive.
  • Manage your Settings. Review and update your settings for anonymity and privacy.

Privacy

For full information on privacy on Formspring, visit our Privacy Policy. We understand everyone has different preferences when it comes to sharing their content. That is why Formspring lets you choose to whether you have a Public Account or a Protected Account. Check out your Settings to manage who has access to your profile.

If you choose to have a Protected account, you can control who has access to follow you and see your answers. Remember, if you have a Public Account, anyone on Formspring, and on the Web can see your profile and content, so think before you post.

Questions that cross the line

Just like any community made up of millions of people, some users will unfortunately break the rules. If you receive a question that makes you uncomfortable for any reason, do not respond to the question, tell a parent, guardian or other trusted adult and follow these instructions to block the user who sent it so they can't contact you again. If the person keeps bothering you, report abuse to us here and to law enforcement.

Here are some additional resources that can help you stay safe and smart online:

Hidden Identities

Receiving questions from hidden identities is optional.. If you would prefer not to receive questions from someone who hides their name, please review and update your Privacy Settings.

Using the hidden identity feature should never be used to ask questions that are mean or hurtful. Asking a question with a hidden identity on Formspring hides your name from the person you're asking and from other users. We will never reveal your identity to the user. This can be useful if you're feeling shy or think that the recipient would be more comfortable answering an question without knowing who may have asked it. Our Community Rules apply to all questions on Formspring, asked with a hidden or open identity, and users who misuse this feature may lose their Formspring account and face other consequences. Keep in mind, if you break the rules, you are responsible - and we can supply identifying information to law enforcement if necessary.

Safety Q&A

How do I know if I'm being harassed?

You are the best person to decide if you're being harassed. If you receive a question or see an answer targeted at you that makes you uncomfortable, do not respond to the question, tell a parent, guardian or other trusted adult and follow these instructions to block the user who sent it so they can't contact you again. If you receive repeated questions that violate these guidelines or find a content violation on Formspring, please report the content to us and our staff will review your request to determine if it violates our Terms of Service and take the necessary action.

What should I do if someone bullies me on Formspring?

If you receive a question that makes you uncomfortable for any reason, think before you respond. The best approach with bullying or harassment is to not encourage the person who is targeting you. Do not respond to the question, and make sure to tell a parent, guardian or other trusted adult what happened, and follow these instructions to block the user who sent it so they can't contact you again.

It's important to remember that cyberbullies usually write to you to get a reaction. If they don't get one, they usually give up. Rather than responding to a bully, block them, and report them to resolve the issue safely. Please note that you should also contact the authorities if you ever feel threatened by something you see on the site.

What should I do if I get a question that I don't like?

Firstly, please block the user (you'll see the block button to the left of the question). This will block this user (even if their identity was hidden) from asking you another question. Secondly, if you're receiving many questions you don't like, consider making a change your settings to control who can contact you on Formspring.

How do I help someone who has posted suicidal content on Formspring?

If you have encountered a direct threat of suicide on Formspring, immediately contact law enforcement. For reports in the United States, we also recommend that you contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a 24/7 hotline, at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If possible, please encourage the user who posted the content to contact Lifeline as well.