Purpose <p>Social media platforms are used by young people experiencing abuse or neglect to disclose what they are going through and seek support. Secondary analyses of social media posts demonstrate that responses to online disclosures of child maltreatment are predominantly supportive, often providing suggestions, validation, and encouragement. The current study addresses gaps in existing literature by exploring what motivates young people to disclose experiences of maltreatment online, via either social media posts or direct messages, and how they are impacted by these interactions.</p> Methods <p>Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants via video conferencing software. Participants were 23 young adults (ages 18–21) from the U.S. who have lived experiences of disclosing child maltreatment on social media. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.</p> Results <p>Four major themes were generated from the data: (1) Young people experience barriers to offline resources for maltreatment (e.g., via mandatory reporting practices); (2) Social media are perceived as an accessible resource (e.g., by allowing for anonymity); (3) Digital support communities are considered a lifeline for maltreated young people (e.g., by providing advice and resources for harm reduction); and (4) Young people acknowledge risks of social media being their “only” accessible resource (e.g., devices may be monitored or controlled by abusive parents).</p> Conclusions <p>Social media platforms serve an important and, at times, lifesaving function for many young people experiencing maltreatment. Simultaneously, maltreated youth experience unique risks related to their online safety and mental health. Social media policies must consider these experiences to improve well-being and avoid exacerbating vulnerabilities among maltreated youth.</p>