How do Americans define online harassment?

- Online harassment can take many forms and for those who have experienced or witnessed this, it can have real-world effects, yet what one person may consider online harassment, another may view differently. In an effort to examine where people draw the line, Pew Research Center conducted a survey in which respondents were presented with fictional escalating online interactions.

They were then asked at what point, if any, harassment took place. Here's how Americans responded to one of these scenarios. David and his friend are messaging privately about a sensitive political issue on which they disagree. David says something that offends his friend, who forwards the conversation to some people they know. One of those people shares the conversation publicly

on a social media account and David receives unkind messages from strangers. The original conversation is then reposted on a account with thousands of followers and David receives messages that are vulgar. Eventually, someone posts David's phone number and home address online and David starts to receive threatening messages. To see how Americans responded to other scenarios,

please read the full report at pewresearch.org.