Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying, sometimes written as cyber bullying, involves repeated, intentional behavior meant to hurt, humiliate or intimidate someone using digital tools. It affects children and teenagers most often, although adults can experience online harassment too.

Common forms include:

• Sending threatening, insulting or cruel messages
• Spreading rumors or lies on social media
• Posting or sharing embarrassing photos or videos
• Creating fake profiles to impersonate or mock someone
• Deliberately excluding someone from group chats or online games
• Social media bullying through comments, tags or coordinated "pile-ons"
• Sharing private information or images without consent

Sextortion is a particularly serious form of online abuse, in which someone threatens to share sexual images unless the victim sends more images, money or something else. It is a crime in many places, and young people who experience it are not to blame.

Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying can follow a young person home, continue around the clock and be hard to escape. The audience can be large, and content can spread quickly and be difficult to remove.

Young people often don't tell adults about cyberbullying, out of embarrassment, fear of losing their phone or worry about making things worse. Possible signs include:

• Seeming upset, anxious or withdrawn after using a phone or computer
• Suddenly avoiding devices, or using them much more and secretively
• Changes in mood, sleep or appetite
• Reluctance to go to school or social events
• Dropping friendships or losing interest in activities
• Falling grades or difficulty concentrating
• Deleting social media accounts or creating new ones
• Signs of low self-esteem, sadness or irritability
• Self-harm or talk of hopelessness

Some of these signs can have other causes, but they're worth noticing. A calm, open conversation is the best way to find out what's going on.

The effects of cyberbullying can be significant and long-lasting. Young people who experience it may develop:

• Anxiety, including social anxiety
• Depression and feelings of hopelessness
• Low self-esteem and shame
• Sleep problems
• Difficulty concentrating and lower school performance
• Social isolation and loss of trust in others
• Physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches
• Self-harm or suicidal thoughts in some cases

The constant nature of online bullying can make it feel inescapable. Public humiliation, especially when content is shared widely, can be particularly painful during adolescence, when peer relationships and identity are so important.

Young people who bully others online may also be struggling and need support. Bystanders can be affected too, and they play an important role in either stopping or spreading harmful content. With support, most young people recover, and many develop greater resilience and stronger relationships.

If a child is being cyberbullied, how adults respond makes a difference.

For parents and caregivers:

• Stay calm, listen and thank them for telling you
• Reassure them that it's not their fault
• Avoid taking away devices as a punishment, which can discourage them from speaking up
• Save evidence, such as screenshots, messages and dates
• Help them block and report the person on the platform
• Don't respond to or retaliate against the bully
• Contact the school, which may have policies for addressing online bullying
• If there are threats, sexual images, sextortion or hate crimes, contact the police

For schools, effective responses include clear anti-bullying policies, education on digital citizenship, safe ways to report and support for both targets and those who bully. Working together, families and schools can reduce harm and help young people feel safe again.

Professional support can help when cyberbullying affects a young person's mood, behavior or daily life. An educational psychologist, child psychologist or clinical psychologist can help them process what happened, rebuild confidence and develop coping strategies.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help with anxiety, low mood and negative self-beliefs. Trauma-informed approaches may help when cyberbullying has been severe or involved sexual exploitation. Family sessions can support parents in understanding and responding to their child's needs.

At a first appointment, the professional will usually talk with the young person and their parents about what happened, how it's affecting them and what support is in place. They'll check for anxiety, depression and any signs of risk, such as self-harm.

If a young person has thoughts of suicide or self-harm, seek help immediately. In the US, call or text 988. In the UK and Ireland, call Samaritans on 116 123. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency number.

Prevention involves building digital skills and open communication:

• Talk regularly with children about their online lives, not just when problems arise
• Teach them to think before posting and to protect personal information
• Review privacy settings together on apps and games
• Encourage them to tell a trusted adult if something online makes them uncomfortable
• Model respectful behavior online yourself
• Discuss what to do as a bystander, such as not sharing hurtful content and supporting the person targeted
• Set healthy limits on screen time, especially at night

Adults experiencing online harassment can also block, report, document and seek legal or professional support. Taking breaks from platforms where harassment happens can protect your wellbeing while the situation is addressed. No one deserves to be harassed online.