What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is the repeated, intentional use of digital technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or exclude someone. It includes:
- Sending cruel or threatening messages
- Posting humiliating photos or videos without consent
- Creating fake profiles to mock someone
- Deliberately excluding someone from group chats or games
- Spreading rumours or lies online
- Sharing private information or screenshots
- Harassment in multiplayer gaming environments
Unlike face-to-face bullying, cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day, reaches a large audience instantly, and can feel impossible to escape.
Platforms where it most commonly happens
Cyberbullying occurs across a wide range of platforms:
Instagram and TikTok
comments, DMs, stories, and duets
Snapchat
disappearing messages that can still be screenshotted
WhatsApp and group chats
peer group dynamics played out in messaging
Gaming platforms
(Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft) — voice chat and in-game chat
YouTube
comment sections on content a child has posted
Discord
servers and DMs, often with reduced adult visibility
Children move between platforms quickly — knowing which ones your child uses matters.
Signs your child is experiencing cyberbullying
- Becoming upset, angry, or withdrawn after using their phone or device
- Hiding their screen or being secretive about what they’re doing online
- Avoiding conversations about school or specific friends
- Stopping activities they used to enjoy online (gaming, posting)
- Sleep disturbance — checking devices through the night
- Reluctance to go to school
- Unexplained social withdrawal
How to talk to your child about it
Children often don’t report cyberbullying because they fear their device will be taken away, or that telling an adult will make things worse. Reassure them upfront:
“I’m not going to take your phone away. I just want to understand what’s happening so we can deal with it together.”
Ask open questions:
"Has anyone been unkind to you online?"
"Is there anything in your messages or group chats that's been upsetting you?"
Listen without immediate reaction. Do not demand to see everything at once — this can feel like an invasion and shut the conversation down.
What to do immediately
Screenshot everything
capture evidence before it disappears or is deleted
Don't delete messages
you may need them for school or police
Block the person(s)
involved on all platforms
Report the content
Every platform has a reporting function
Contact school
if the people involved are classmates
Check in daily
Check with how your child is feeling
How to report cyberbullying on major platforms
Instagram/Facebook:
Tap the three dots on the post or profile
Report
TikTok
Long-press a video or go to profile
Report
Snapchat
Press and hold a message
Report
Long-press a message
Report
Roblox
Click the profile
Report Abuse
YouTube
Three dots below a video or comment
Report
For serious cases — threats, sexual content, or images shared without consent — report to the police and to the Internet Watch Foundation or the CEOP
When to involve school and police
Involve school if:
The person bullying is a classmate
It affects your child's ability to attend or engage with school
The bullying is connected to events at school
Involve police if:
There are threats of violence
Sexual images or content are involved (even if all parties are minors — this is a serious safeguarding matter)
Harassment is criminal in nature
Your child feels physically unsafe
Protecting your child going forward
- Review privacy settings on all platforms together
- Set accounts to private
- Discuss what is and is not okay to share online
- Keep devices out of bedrooms at night
- Maintain open, ongoing conversations about online life — not a one-off chat
- The goal is media literacy and trust, not surveillance and restriction
FAQs: cyberbullying
Generally not as a first response — it can feel like they are being punished and reduces the chance they'll tell you about future problems. Focus on blocking, reporting, and support first.
Report to the platform, who can investigate IP addresses. If threats are serious, the police have powers to request data from platforms. Screenshot and date everything.
No. Retaliation can escalate the situation and may result in your child being seen as equally responsible. Redirect their anger towards reporting and blocking.