Cyberbullying Quotes to Reflect the Seriousness of the Problem

Bullying is something we’ve only started to hear about in recent years, even though many have been suffering from and have been victims of bullying for years. With the invention of the internet, bullying also travelled from the real world into the virtual one. As a result, more people fall victim to cyberbullying, especially youngsters and teens.

On the other hand, the distance created by the cyber world gave many “fake” immunity and anonymity by enabling them to cyberbully others and get away with it! In this article, we’ll discuss Cyberbullying: its reasons, its effects, who’s more affected by it, how to stop it, and how to combat it. We’ll end with some strong Cyberbullying quotes about this widespread term.

What Is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is using tools available in cyberspace or electronic means to bully or harass others, and it is also known as cyber harassment. This new form of bullying is common among teenagers, who naturally use the internet more than any other age group. A teenager who uses the internet, social media websites, phone calls, text messages or emails to harass others is a cyberbully.

Considered as an extension of traditional bullying, research shows that many of the teenagers getting bullied in the physical world are those also getting bullied in the cyber world. In an adverse case, some of the teenagers bullied in the outside world use cyberbullying as a means to let their anger, disappointment and frustration out.

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”

Buddha

There’s also the rare case where the cyberbully is physically stronger than the victim, but they prefer online confrontations and interactions to those in real life. As we explore more cyberbullying quotes, we can divide cyberbullying into three main types or means of usage, as follows:

Cyberstalking

The purpose behind this type of cyberbullying is obvious, and that is to stalk the victim. Cyberstalking is considered to be the most dangerous of cyberbullying since the perpetrator closely follows the victim and can pose a real threat to their life. The perpetrator will send frequent messages to the victim, threatening or harassing them.

An additional danger factor of cyberstalking is that the perpetrator can explicitly encourage others to join them in harassing the victim; they may even impersonate the victim and send fake messages to those people to drive them in that direction.

Trolling

Many have become in contact with cyber trolls, whether they realise it or not. Cyber trolls try to force others to react to something by provoking or harassing them. A cyber troll can do what they’re doing just for fun or because their character is aggressive. It’s important to know that not every cybertroll is considered a cyberbully since some people see provocation as a way of joking or mischief.

Hate Raids

Generally targeting live streaming applications like Twitch, hate raids occur when someone starts a live stream, and suddenly, the video’s chat is flooded with hateful and harassing messages. This interrupts the live stream, and the streamer might have to stop the stream. The difficulty behind hate raids is that they’re mostly carried by many bots, making it hard to ban and stop all these devices simultaneously.

“With cyberbullying, one press of a finger on an electronic device can shatter someone’s reputation and what they think is their entire life. It’s scary.”

Justin Prentice

Reasons Cyberbullying Is on the Rise

The most common reason behind any form of bullying is the human nature of the bully himself. There’s no way to justify such a demeaning act, no matter what the victim did, assuming they didn’t hurt the bully first and that person is simply retaliating. However, this is not the only reason why the phenomenon of cyberbullying has been on the rise in recent years:

Increased Lack of Empathy

The distance technology creates and puts between people makes it difficult for many to feel empathy. Bullies don’t feel the impact of what they’re doing to others, and they don’t regret bullying others or feel sorry for them. Studies have shown that cyberbullies didn’t feel anything after bullying anyone online; in fact, it was the total opposite; many cyberbullies stated that such actions made them popular online, they thought it was funny, and it made them feel powerful.

The Bully Feels the Victim Deserves the Bullying

This is one of the dangerous reasons since it stems from the feeling of superiority these bullies feel when they’re bullying others; it’s like they’re bullying others to establish their dominance and status. Such behaviour reflects deep insecurities; unfortunately, this is also true for adults. Cyberbullying is increasing rapidly because bullies think they are entitled to let others know where they stand or that they have the right to say whatever they want, and this is common, especially when it comes to celebrities and people in the public eye.

Boredom

There’s an undeniable kick which cyberbullies feel when bothering others online. Unfortunately, with time, this behaviour can become addictive, and the bully can just log in to bully others just to have fun because he or she is bored. Drama and excitement are just a few clicks away!

It’s easy to get dragged into conflicts on social media applications, such as Facebook or X. It’s a matter of logging in, and you’ll be able to read all the comments and messages. Sometimes, the bullies feel the need for attention because they feel they aren’t getting enough of it in real life, so they resort to bullying others, where they can get attention and entertainment easily.

Self-Hate

Many studies showed that many of the previous victims of bullying become bullies themselves. This is a vicious circle that some of the previous victims are sucked into this circle of anger, and they choose to cyberbully others, and the circle goes on.

Revenge

Instead of looking for a healthy way to deal with the cyberbullying they’ve been through, some choose to go out there and seek revenge by getting back, whether at the person who bullied them or at other people. The logic they use behind this way of behaving is that the people they’re targeting deserve what’s coming for them, especially if they’re targeting their previous bullies through cyberbullying.

These so-called victims want others to experience and feel what they felt before; through this twisted thinking, they believe they’re justified to do so. If the bullying victim targets the person who previously bullied them, it gives them a twisted sense of vindication and relief. However, they also feel the same way if they cyberbully someone weaker.

Peer Pressure

Fitting in is something almost all kids think about at school, and in this sense, a kid might choose to cyber bully someone to fit in with a certain group at school. Some kids feel that cyberbullying is against their better judgment, but they cave into peer pressure and choose to cyberbully others just to feel accepted.

When the kids let go of their better judgment in exchange for fitting in, they don’t think about the consequences of their actions. In some cases, groups of friends will bully someone or some people together, believing that safety is in numbers.

Cyberbullies Are Hungry for Power

What happens in real life can also manifest in the cyber-verse; bullying and cyberbullying are no different. Cyberbullies manifest real-life status online, such as when popular kids cyberbully kids who aren’t as popular or kids who feel they’re attractive target kids they don’t feel are as attractive as them. Such cyberbullies are exercising relational aggression online and are being mean.

Another tactic these hungry-for-power cyberbullies use is spreading rumours about the kids they’re targeting. On the internet, everything goes viral in seconds. There’s another dangerous second person here: the person who wants to climb the social ladder or gain some points from the “popular” kids at school by cyberbullying someone and grabbing the popular kids’ attention.

The way these cyberbullies see things is that diminishing someone else’s power is increasing theirs, especially if they were the reason the other person’s power diminished.

Everyone Is Doing It

When a kid sees many people cyberbullying each other online, they begin to think such behaviour is acceptable when it isn’t. However, because this kid sees a lot of people engaging in cyberbullying, they are more likely to take part as well. The logic in their mind is that such behaviour seems accepted by their peer group, so it’s not a big problem. If a kid is looking to fit in with a certain group online that cyberbullies others, they are more likely to resort to cyberbullying others, to gain validation and entrance from this group.

Catch Me If You Can

The internet allows people to do many things without their real names, giving them a fake sense of anonymity and security. That’s exactly how many cyberbullies think; they believe they won’t get caught when they post or write something anonymously.

Also, because of the distance offered by technology and the internet, the bully doesn’t see how the victim feels or reacts, which makes it easier for them to continue cyberbullying the victim without feeling guilt. Some kids might back off bullying others when they see their reaction, which isn’t available on the internet.

“I’ve experienced cyberbullying my entire life due to just having a last name that people knew.”

Noah Cyrus

In this regard, studies showed that some kids who might refrain from bullying others face-to-face will resort to the internet and cyberbully others.

Effects of Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is not a phenomenon faced only by the younger generations but also by adults as well. Many of the following effects caused by cyberbullying apply to adults from a slightly different perspective. It is, however, considered to be more dangerous to a still-growing person who is on their way to configuring life.

While bullying can have harmful effects on youngsters, such as stress, anxiety, low self-esteem and learning problems. Cyberbullying is considered to be more dangerous and for many reasons. Bullying can be limited to a certain place, such as school, while cyberbullying occurs online, meaning it can be anywhere and at any time, which makes it more persistent and cruel.

“Most bad behavior comes from insecurity.”

Debra Winger

Cyberbullying can happen anywhere, from public social media posts to private messages, which are more harmful. This is because these messages trap the kids in them and let them think they’re alone in what they’re facing. This is why observing these effects of cyberbullying is vital! The effects of cyberbullying can be categorised into the following categories:

Emotional Effects

Thirty-two per cent of kids who have been victims of cyberbullying said they had at least one symptom of stress, which is the most common among victims of cyberbullying. Other emotional effects include hurt, embarrassment, fear and self-blame.

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

Nelson Mandela

Humiliated

Cyberbullying takes place online, and this gives kids a sense of continuity, which is overwhelming for them. They feel that something will be there forever once something is out there. The posts, messages or pictures containing cyberbullying can be forwarded and shared with many people, which overwhelms the victim that all these people know about the matter, and it makes them feel humiliated and exposed.

Isolated

Cyberbullying leads to kids being left out at school, at an age where it’s crucial to have friends. It is such a painful experience to be going through school with no friends, especially since this can lead to more bullying.

In the event a kid informs his or her parents they were cyberbullied, the parents might suggest logging off social media and, at times, getting off portable devices completely. This might lead to more isolation and loneliness since these devices can be a kid’s only way of communicating with their friends and the outside world, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Angry

Feeling angry as a result of getting cyberbullied was proven to be the first thing a victim feels, even before getting upset. The victim could try to get back at the bully and take revenge, which can get him into trouble and keep him locked in the vicious bully-victim cycle.

Getting back at the bully is easier for kids than letting go or choosing not to retaliate, while it’s better to forgive than getting even. If cyberbullying is making your child overly angry, it’s probably best to seek the help of a counsellor or a therapist, who can help your child deal with their anger in a good way and direct it towards positive activities.

“Every day we have plenty of opportunities to get angry, stressed or offended. But what you’re doing when you indulge these negative emotions is giving something outside yourself power over your happiness. You can choose to not let little things upset you.”

Joel Osteen

Powerless

Powerlessness and vulnerability dominate a child’s thinking who has been cyberbullied more easily than getting bullied at school. With bullying in the outside world, there’s an indirect way of escaping it by going home or leaving school every day. Cyberbullying occurs whenever a child logs online or opens social media websites; it invades their privacy and is after them even when they’re home.

Although cyberbullies don’t have any worry about targeting people they know with their bullying behaviour, many choose to stay anonymous. Such anonymous, disturbing behaviour causes deep stress and fear to the victims when they don’t know who is targeting them and why.

Mental Effects

Getting cyberbullied all the time can lead to changes in the way kids think; they see the world through hopelessness and meaninglessness. Over time, they might lose interest in their favourite activities and shy away from interactions with family and friends. It’s those feelings of loneliness and hopelessness that can lead to learning problems and suicidal thinking and behaviour.

Anxiety and Depression

Consistent cyberbullying will gradually replace the feelings of happiness and hope from the victim, replacing them with fear and anxiety. Since cyberbullying is everywhere the victim goes, it can be very overwhelming to keep dealing with it all the time. Cyberbullying can also lower the victim’s confidence in themselves, which increases feelings of depression.

Research connected deep depression with consistent cyberbullying, where in one study, over 38% of victims of cyberbullying reported feeling emotionally distressed, with many also experiencing depression, sadness, and anxiety.

Low Self-Esteem

While this isn’t always the case, a cyberbully will often target a trait or something about the victim over which they already feel insecure, such as a birthmark. Cyberbullying has a damaging effect on the victim’s feeling of self-worth and self-esteem as a result of getting overly dissatisfied with who they are.

Due to the fluctuating psychological needs of teenagers, where they feel the need to be a part of a group. If cyberbullying lowers the victim’s self-esteem, they will feel more difficulty in fitting in with any peer group at school, which leads to feelings of psychological maladjustment.

Learning Problems

Kids who are being cyberbullied are more likely to skip school than kids who are not cyberbullied or even bullied only at school. It could be to avoid the kids who are cyberbullying them or to avoid facing their peers who also saw the messages or posts used to cyberbully them.

As a result, the victim’s grades will also suffer since they can’t concentrate even when they go to school. Kids who are cyberbullied were also found to be more likely to drop out of school or choose to discontinue their education past high school.

Suicidal and Self-Harming Behaviour

A very alarming effect of cyberbullying is self-harming and suicidal behaviour. Somehow, when the victims of cyberbullying resort to cutting themselves, it gives them a feeling of calm, almost as if they were punishing themselves for getting cyberbullied, which is very disturbing. Unfortunately, self-harm has been continuously linked with bullying and cyberbullying.

“Cutting, and suicide, two very different symptoms of the same problem, are gaining on us. I personally don’t know a single person who doesn’t know at least two of these victims personally.”

Pink

On the other hand, when the victim is consistently cyberbullied everywhere they go since all they need to do is open their mobile phones to get cyberbullied, they can feel trapped, and it torments them. This entrapment can lead the victim to think that the only way out is to end their life. They might begin with only fantasies about how their life can end, but in a split second, a fantasy can become true.

“Suicide is not a remedy.”

James A. Garfield

So, if you know or suspect that your child is having suicidal thoughts, seek the help of a professional and help your child come out of this dark spot. 

Physical Effects

Bullying in the real world can lead to physical harm, which affects the victim directly. Cyberbullying, on the other hand, is an invisible way of affecting the victim physically without coming into contact with them. The effect of cyberbullying on some kids can physically manifest itself, such as the following examples:

Gastrointestinal Problems

Cyberbullying can severely affect the victim; it can cause or increase the intensity of already existing health problems. It can lead to stomachache, stomach ulcers and abdominal pain. Some kids even begin to suffer from vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea.

Eating Disorders

If the kids feel they can’t control or stop cyberbullying, they might resort to controlling their eating habits, which can be either abstaining from eating or eating too much. If the cyberbullying is directed at the body of the victim, it might create a distorted body image in the head of the victim, which will worsen the eating habits of the victim.

“Unhealthy eating habits cause major health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease, and can also lead to food insecurity, disrupted eating patterns, and low self-esteem.”

Matt Cartwright

Sleeping Disorders

Insomnia is a common effect of cyberbullying, where the victim can’t sleep from overthinking about what the cyberbully said. A worse effect is sleeping and having nightmares; this freaks the victim out more and makes them more agitated.

Behavioural Effects

These effects are similar to those exhibited by victims of bullying in real life, like losing interest in their favourite activities, avoiding family and friends, disinterest in school, or even preferring to stay alone most of the time. However, cyberbullying can lead to more serious behavioural problems, such as:

Substance Abuse

Research shows that children who are cyberbullied are 2.5 times more likely to use substances such as marijuana or alcohol than their peers who aren’t bullied.

Skipping School

Skipping school, especially when the cyberbully is someone from the same school as the victim, seems like a way of realising freedom. The victim might also behave a certain way to get themselves suspended from school altogether. One study revealed that students who were cyberbullied got about three times more suspensions and detentions than other students.

Obtaining a Weapon

This is also an alarming problem; the victim might resort to bringing a weapon to school, regardless of whether the bully is from their school or not. The victim’s behaviour then isn’t just restricted to those cyberbullying them but to anyone who disturbs them. A study found that severely bullied students were significantly more likely to bring weapons to school, with 72% of the worst-affected reported carrying a weapon, compared to 5% of non-bullied peers.

What Are the Signs Someone Is Getting Cyberbullied?

There are some common signs between being cyberbullied and other problems, but the following signs are a strong indication you’re dealing with someone who’s being cyberbullied.

Feeling Uneasy About Going Outside or Going to School

This can be a sign of both bullying and cyberbullying. Your child keeps asking to skip school for the day or even call you from school to ask you if they could come home early. Such behaviour indicates that your child feels uncomfortable about going to school or being around his friends and classmates for some reason.

Looking Nervous When Using the Internet or Social Media

Your child might act nervously if you’re around them while using their mobile devices or spending time on social media. This is why it’s vital to keep mobile devices and computers in a common place at home so you can watch what they’re doing without making them feel they’re being watched.

Feeling Agitated After Being Online or Gaming

Something common that many kids do is that they slam their devices suddenly while they’re using them, or they might even throw them away. This is a sign that something that deeply upset them happened online, whether on social media or through messages. The burst of anger they feel suddenly is their way of blowing off steam and getting away from the bully.

Doesn’t Want to Share Any Information About Their Activity Online or on Social Media

In most cases, victims of cyberbullying are afraid to say anything or speak out, especially to a parent. If your child is acting very secretive about their time online or doesn’t want to talk about what they do online or on social media, this is a major warning sign.

There’s a very smart way manifested in “a Family Contract,” which sets rules regarding mobile devices and social media use in the house. The website Net Nanny presented the contract idea as a means of setting household guidelines, which both the parents and kids agree to and sign. Such a signed agreement also teaches the children the value of made promises and signed agreements.

Unexplained Headaches, Stomachaches, Fluctuations in Weight or Refusing to Eat

Physical effects are a warning sign of both bullying and cyberbullying. While this doesn’t necessarily mean the bullying has been consistent or gone on for a long time, it still means that the bullying was so severe it deeply affected the victim. The danger of this effect is if it continues for a long time, it will result in severe setbacks and health problems, so parents need to keep a close eye on their kids’ health.

Sleeping Trouble

Victims of bullying or cyberbullying will stay up awake for long periods thinking and going over what the bullies are saying about them, whether the victim had chosen to retaliate or to stay silent. Some victims will end up blaming themselves and thinking they deserved the bullying, which results in more restlessness.

This makes the following days harder, especially if they are school days, and the kids aren’t able to concentrate at school, trying to keep up with their peers and school work.

Losing Interest in Favourite Activities or Hobbies

Losing interest in their favourite activities or pastimes can be a sign of cyberbullying. Your child might be trying to avoid those bullying them in real life so as not to get bullied in real life and on the internet. Your kid might also avoid practising their favourite hobbies to fit in with others and not be bullied because of them.

“It’s sad, actually, because my anxiety keeps me from enjoying things as much as I should at this age.”

Amanda Seyfried

Your role as a parent is to keep encouraging your child that their hobbies bring them happiness and satisfaction, and the approval of other kids is not important.

Sudden Depression or Exhibiting Anti-Social Behaviour

Time alone isn’t usually a warning sign, except when it’s not like your child to act this way. When suddenly your child prefers to spend time alone in their room and looks upset or sad, this might be a sign of cyberbullying.

You can let them know their family is there for them. By encouraging a family trip, outing, or even a game night at home where everyone chooses one of the games to play, you gently encourage them to get out of their room and participate with the rest of the family.

Avoiding Close Family and Friends

Not everyone expects that bullying or cyberbullying could come from close family or even close friends. However, it’s not uncommon; in fact, it is very common as well and destroys many relationships. When your child is avoiding their close friends or favourite family members, it’s important to try to let them tell you the reason. This could be that your child is trying to distance themselves from the people bullying them, and you’ll want to let them know that you’re there for them and have their back.

Making Clear Statements Regarding Suicide or Making a Suicide Attempt

If this happens, then you must take it seriously right away; statements about suicide or even attempting it are a serious warning sign. Let your child know you’re there for them and that everything you do is for their good. Seek the help of a professional, contact the school immediately and get it involved. Assure your child you’ll be there for every step of the way.

“We need to change the culture of this topic and make it OK to speak about mental health and suicide.”

Luke Richardson

Cyberbullying During the Time of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic saw almost everyone resort to the virtual world to do everything they used to do in the real world, including online education. As a result, students began to use the internet and virtual programs almost all the time for lessons, connecting with the outside world and their peers. This is one of the many great benefits of technology, virtual and social media programs, but the risks these programs pose still exist.

Unfortunately, with moving school work home, bullying also moved to the cyber world. An online harassment-tracking agency called L1ght stated there was an increase in cyberbullying by 70% after the pandemic in just a few months. This increase cannot be all attributed to technology; there are some other factors as well, such as:

Isolation

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, everywhere was closed, and everyone was ordered to stay home. This isolation created a deep feeling of loneliness for kids and adults alike. While adults can have many duties to fulfil at home, kids get lonely easily. The fact that not many kids have continuous internet connections deepened this feeling of loneliness and isolation.

The other side is that these kids might leave mean or rude comments to others online to compensate for the lack of online presence of their friends or the groups they circle with.

Boredom

Before the pandemic, kids could engage in activities or play games and go out to use their time doing something beneficial. All this kept away boredom, and they still had time to bully others. After the pandemic, there’s nothing to entertain the kids. Not that bullying is legitimate entertainment; it’s only the way bullies see it.

Now that the kids are bored and have little to do, they may resort to cyberbullying to have fun, relieve stress, feel lonely, or seek attention—but mostly because they’re bored.

More Stress

Things were confusing when the pandemic started, which continued for a long time. This confusion brings about a lot of stress and anxiety for both kids and adults. For kids, if they don’t have healthy habits in place to help them relieve stress, they can resort to acting out or lashing out at others, even their friends. So, these kids might not only resort to cyberbullying other kids randomly, but they might pick a fight or two with their friends as well.

“If you don’t think your anxiety, depression, sadness and stress impact your physical health, think again. All of these emotions trigger chemical reactions in your body, which can lead to inflammation and a weakened immune system. Learn how to cope, sweet friend. There will always be dark days.”

Kris Carr

Less Online Supervision

The pandemic created a new reality: parents needed to balance working from home with home duties and homework with their kids. This made parents less attentive to what their kids were doing online. This might make the cyberbully feel falsely secure since he or she knows no one’s watching like they used to.

Limited Support Groups

There aren’t many support groups for victims of bullying, and studies have shown that victims of bullying are more likely to talk to a counsellor or a teacher at school about what they’ve been through than to talk to their parents.

“People who fail to use their emotional intelligence skills are more likely to turn to other, less effective means of managing their mood. They are twice as likely to experience anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and even thoughts of suicide.”

Travis Bradberry

With the pandemic, access to these people was not always possible, and the kids feared that telling their parents would put further limits on their internet use, which is the only way they could connect with friends.

Who Is Most Affected by Cyberbullying?

There isn’t a specific standard to decide who gets cyberbullied more; there’s no standard. It’s not only kids that get bullied online but also adults. However, adults are seen as more likely to be able to deal with bullying and know how to avoid it. Kids on the other hand, are still developing mentally and emotionally, this is where cyberbullying is more destructive.

Researchers at the Pew Research Centre and Cyberbullying Research Centre found several categories of people are more likely to get bullied than others:

Gender

Research by both centres resulted in the discovery that girls are more likely to get cyberbullied than boys. The PRC published a study where 38% of girls said they were victims of cyberbullying, in comparison to only 26% of boys. The CRC’s study had almost 37% of girls said they were cyberbullied, in comparison to almost 31% of boys.

Furthermore, the PRC study stated that 41% of the girls who were victims of cyberbullying were between ages 15 and 17. The same age group was also more likely to get a life-threatening message or email.

Students with Special Needs

Research consistently shows that students with special needs are about two to three times more likely to be bullied than their peers without disabilities. Various studies, including reports by the National Center for Education Statistics and UNESCO, demonstrate that this group faces significantly higher bullying rates.

Cyberbullying Statistics

It’s difficult to summarise studies and statistics about cyberbullying; the numbers are frequently changing. It’s vital to know that when an adult is involved in bullying, whether they are the perpetrator or the victim, it’s then called harassment or even stalking. Surprisingly, there are some online establishments, such as businesses and casinos, that have been accused of cyberbullying customers over the years.

Here, we’re talking about the latest cyber bullying statistics:

1. Nearly 95% of teenagers have access to smartphones, and 46% report being online almost constantly. This frequent mobile use, particularly on social media, makes smartphones a leading tool for cyberbullying incidents.
2. Thirty-seven per cent of youngsters between 12 and 17 years of age said they were victims of cyberbullying, and 30% of them said it was repeated.
3. Fifty-nine per cent of teenagers say they’ve experienced cyberbullying. While 60% of youngsters were found to have witnessed cyberbullying. However, most teens didn’t intervene for fear of becoming targets or not knowing how to help effectively.
4. Numerous studies have consistently shown that anonymity significantly increases the likelihood of students intervening in cyberbullying incidents.
5. Recent research shows that about 33% of teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 report experiencing rumours spread about them online, making it one of the most common forms of cyberbullying.
6. Recent surveys show that around 55% of students aged 13-17 have encountered cyberbullying, though awareness of online bullying among youth remains widespread globally.
7. In 2019, over 52% of students reported being bullied at school in the last 30 days, reflecting a significant increase from earlier years.
8. According to a 2023 study by the Cyberbullying Research Center, 36.5% of students between the ages of 13 and 17 reported being victims of cyberbullying at some point in their lives, and 17.4% said it occurred within the last 30 days.
9. One in every three kids in 30 countries around the world were victims of cyberbullying, both at school and other places.
10. Just one teenager in every 10 is likely to let an adult, a parent or another trusted person know of the cyberbullying they were a victim of.
11. A significant number of American parents are concerned about the risk of cyberbullying happening at school.
12. A Pew Research Center survey indicates that approximately 41% of U.S. adults have experienced some form of online harassment. This includes a variety of behaviours, such as offensive name-calling, purposeful embarrassment, and more severe forms like stalking and physical threats.
13. In Canada, 17% of internet users aged 15 to 29 reported being victims of either cyberbullying or cyberstalking over the past five years.
14. Most cyberbullying occurs on social media websites, even one-fifth of bullying in general. Forty-two per cent of school students cited Instagram as the highest website where they’ve experienced cyberbullying. Facebook followed with 37%, then Snapchat with 31%. 12% said it was WhatsApp, and YouTube and X (Twitter) were at 10% and 9%, respectively.
15. The constant or intensive usage of social media websites was proven to be one of the major causes of mental health issues. In this regard, students who’ve fallen victim to cyberbullying are more prone to mental health and adjustment problems at school.

“Mental health can be just as important as physical health – and major depression is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses.”

Michael Greger

20. Recent data shows that 23% of middle and high school students report being victims of cyberbullying in the last 30 days, and 16% admitted to being perpetrators of such behaviour during the same period.
21. School teachers have reported they consider cyberbullying to be their main safety concern in the class.
22. Recent studies show that cyberbullying affects 44% of all internet users, with young adults between 18 and 29 being particularly vulnerable.
23. Adult people in the public eye, such as celebrities in different fields, be it entertainment, science, technology, or even the media makers, are some of the most targeted groups of society with cyberbullying. This fame somehow makes others believe they have the right to judge and be rude to these adults online.
24. Sixty-one per cent of people get bullied for their appearance.
25. A 2024 report noted that personal traits like intelligence and academic achievements are common reasons for cyberbullying, though exact figures vary by study.
26. According to a 2022 Pew Research survey, 9% of teens reported being victims of cyberbullying due to their race or ethnicity, with 21% of Black teens, 11% of Hispanic teens, and 4% of White teens experiencing this form of online harassment.
27. Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be both perpetrators and victims of cyberbullying, with multiple studies showing this gender gap in online harassment patterns.
28. In 2020, 44% of internet users in the U.S. reported experiencing cyberbullying or online harassment, with 28% encountering severe forms like physical threats, sexual harassment, stalking, and sustained harassment.
29. Approximately 64% of cyberbullying victims report experiencing low self-esteem, difficulty coping, and a persistent sense of insecurity, with many also reporting a negative impact on their mental health and learning.
30. Cyberbullying is detrimental to teenagers since it can result in many mental health problems, increase the tendency towards suicide, suicidal thoughts and behaviours, cause depression and even lead them to harm themselves.
31. A teenager who’s been a victim of either bullying or cyberbullying is two times more prone to attempt suicide or exhibit suicidal behaviours.
32. Since 2008, the number of adolescents hospitalised for suicidal thoughts or attempts has more than doubled, particularly among teenagers aged 15-17, with girls being disproportionately affected.
33. Studies show that suicide is the second cause of death for people aged between 10 and 34 years old.
34. Italy and Sweden have been reported to have the highest levels of awareness about cyberbullying, with 91% of respondents in these countries indicating their awareness in a 2023 study.
35. The global awareness level of cyberbullying is around 75%.
36. In 2022, data showed that India had the highest reported cases of cyberbullying, with 38% of Indian parents stating that their children had experienced online harassment. Brazil followed with 29%, and the U.S. reported 26% of children experiencing cyberbullying
37. China, India, and Singapore have the highest levels of cyberbullying in Asia, with 70%, 58%, and 53% of youth, respectively, reporting being victims of cyberbullying.
38. The Netherlands, Iceland, and Spain are the three countries with the lowest percentages of cyberbullying.
39. Recent reports show that around 40% of parents in the U.S. are aware of the possibility that their teens might be experiencing cyberbullying on social media platforms like Facebook. In some countries, such as Singapore and Australia, parental awareness is even higher, with 49% and 46% of parents, respectively, expressing concern over their children’s online experiences with bullying​.
40. A percentage of 59.4 of parents made sure to talk to their children about the practices of safe internet and online safety measures after incidents of cyberbullying.
41. According to Google Trends, the focus on cyberbullying in recent years has been increasing.
42. During the third quarter of 2021, the Facebook administration worked to remove 9.2 million pieces of content that were found to be violating its guidelines, especially regarding cyberbullying and harassment.
43. In the third quarter of 2021, YouTube removed over 6 million videos, with the majority flagged for violations related to child safety and spam. Although harassment and cyberbullying made up a smaller portion, they accounted for 17% of the comments removed for violating community guidelines
44. Eighty-three per cent of youngsters believe that social media platforms are not doing enough to combat cyberbullying on their websites and that they should do more.
45. In comparison to teenagers and older people, studies found that younger people are more likely to seek to put an end to cyberbullying.
46. Around two-thirds of tweens have reported trying to help a victim of cyberbullying, and younger people often resort to strategies like blocking the bully or telling a trusted adult. However, older teens are more likely to experience more severe forms of cyberbullying, and they sometimes choose not to take immediate action, such as blocking or reporting the perpetrator​.
47. A percentage of 71 teenagers say that the best way to avoid and prevent cyberbullying is through blocking the potential perpetrator.
48. Tweens, children between the ages of 8 and 12, 66.3% percentage of them, said they’ve tried to help victims of cyberbullying.
49. For tweens, more than 60% said the best way to avoid cyberbullying is by blocking the person. Around 51% tell a parent, and more than 43% completely ignore the person. Around 30% of tweens decide to report the bully to the website or application, while around 30% decide it is best to take a break from the internet altogether.
50. More than 69% of tweens who were victims of cyberbullying said it affected how they feel about themselves, almost 32% said it affected their friendships, more than 13% said cyberbullying affected their physical health, and those who said it affected their school work stood at around 7%.
51. In the United States, all 50 states have laws addressing bullying, and 48 of them explicitly include cyberbullying in their legal frameworks due to the recognised harm it causes to adolescents.
52. In certain cases of cyberbullying, it’s imperative to call the police. Such cases include threats to safety, death threats, extortion, threats of violence, intimidation or if there’s evidence or threats of sexual exploitation.

How to Stop Cyberbullying (Steps to Take to Protect Your Kids Online)

One of the most direct options teens consider when they experience cyberbullying is to delete the social applications through which they were cyberbullied and decide to take some time off-screen. However, this isn’t a long-term solution; the victim might need to access the internet for something important, and it isn’t right they are reminded of all the cyberbullying they encounter when they log back in again.

While 90% of teenagers believe cyberbullying is a problem, only 63% of them believe it’s a serious one. These teenagers feel that their schools, social media websites, and politicians aren’t doing enough to solve this problem. Commonly, teens would hesitate to tell an adult because they feel this adult won’t be able to stop the cyberbullying, and they also fear that the cyberbullying might even get worse if the bully finds out an adult has become involved.

“People think cyberbullying will never end, so why try to fix it? Which I completely understand. I will be the first to tell you that it’s not going to end. But if you start making the change and start making the steps, over time change will happen.”

Lizzie Velasquez

It’s a fact that cyberbullying cannot be completely stopped, but it doesn’t mean you can’t take action and watch a loved one being cyberbullied without doing anything. There are different steps which parents, kids and even the school administration can take to help stop cyberbullying:

For Parents

When parents have enough awareness of what their children might face outside or in the cyber verse, they can help them get over any difficulties to focus on recovering from cyberbullying and moving forward:

1. Keep the computer in a common place at home. If the computer is in the kids’ room, it will be harder to keep an eye on what they’re doing or getting exposed to. You’ll also be able to watch their behaviour and whether they’re getting exposed to something disturbing but don’t know how to talk about.
2. Be on the lookout for signs of changes in your kid’s behaviour. There are many common signs between being a victim of cyberbullying and other problems, such as a sudden drop in grades, disinterest in favourite activities, depression, skipped classes, lack of interest in eating and sleeping disorders.
3. If your kid has been avoiding or getting upset when using the computer or their smartphone, it might indicate that they’re being cyberbullied. On the other hand, if your kid is overly angry when you limit their screen time or take away their phone, they might be the bullies themselves.
   • Learn to talk about social media, how social media applications work and how you can do different things using these sites: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok and Snapchat. Show your profile to your kids and ask them to see theirs.
4. Dialogue and conversation cannot be stressed enough. Talk with your kids to let them know what’s allowed online and that they can come to you if they encounter something offensive or harmful online.
5. Discuss with your kids how to keep themselves safe online by setting up a few guidelines. These could include limiting the personal content they share, such as photos or private information about themselves. Ensure they’ve set their profiles as private so that those outside their list of friends can’t access information on it and that they must not respond to messages or requests from people they don’t know.
6. Guide your kids through setting up strong passwords for their accounts since, in many cases, cyberbullies were able to hack into the profiles of the victims and post offensive and mean comments and posts on their behalf.
7. Involve your kids in setting the guidelines for screen time; this will make them more likely to help. Discuss the rules and be open to change; this will also solidify their trust that you’ll listen when they seek your guidance.
8. It’s important to talk to your kids about how to curb the urge to retaliate. Fighting back cyberbullying, while it might seem to be solving the problem at first and the cyberbullying might stop, it can result in two major problems. The first is the cyberbully will return even stronger and more mean than before, and the second is the victim can turn into a bully. Over the long term, this is extremely harmful, so you must talk to your kids about how to solve the problem in the short term as well as the long term.
9. If you feel or suspect that your child is being cyberbullied, try to approach them, talk to them and let them talk to you freely. Kids fear that, as adults, you won’t understand or that you will judge them and blame them for getting cyberbullied in the first place.

“I found that with depression, one of the most important things you could realise is that you’re not alone.”

Dwayne Johnson

10. Tell your kids to ignore cyberbullying comments or posts and not respond to them. However, ask them to keep the messages, emails, and posts, including the name of the cyberbully. If you’re going to report the cyberbully, you’ll need to prove it.
11. Do not blame your kids for being bullied—never! Many bullying victims think they deserve to be bullied, so they don’t ask for help or seek comfort. When your kids come to you to talk about cyberbullying, support them and be understanding. Assure them that what the cyberbully said isn’t true and that you’ll work together to find a solution.
12. Taking away your kids’ mobile or portable devices is not a solution since it might have adverse consequences; they will be even more secretive, and you will be driving them away.
13. If your kids are back at school, talk to the guidance counsellors so they can monitor them if any bullying occurs.
14. Talk to your kids about practical and effective ways to prevent cyberbullying. Get the school involved, or even seek professional help from a therapist.
15. After talking to your kids, if it turns out they are being cyberbullied, you need to report it to the authorities who can help. If the bullying occurs at school, you must report it to the school administration and your kids’ mentor. If the bullying is online, you must report it to service providers or police.
16. Call the police or law enforcement if there’s a threat to your kids’ lives or any physical threat to them.
17. As a parent, you must act right away to help protect your child and let them feel safe, especially since youngsters who’ve been victims of cyberbullying are twice as likely to attempt suicide or act in a self-harming manner.

For Kids

It’s important to give kids various tools to express what they experience outside and on the cyber verse:

1. Do not respond to anything sent to you by the cyberbully, messages, posts or emails.
2. If you want to respond to the bully, you can only ask them to stop. They probably won’t; they might cyberbully you even further. But it’s good to be included in the evidence when you report cyberbullying.
3. Do not forward any messages or emails containing cyberbullying to other kids, or you’ll be considered an accomplice.
4. Save the messages, take screenshots of them and print them to use as evidence when reporting cyberbullying.
5. Block the cyberbully completely, which is a feature available in most social media applications like Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter).
6. If you’re being targeted with cyberbullying, seek the help of an adult and talk about what’s happening.
7. If you’re witnessing someone getting cyberbullied online, you must report the matter to an adult, friends and teachers so they can get involved and stop it.

For Schools

Educators play a vital role in the plan to stop both bullying and cyberbullying:

1. State that any type of bullying, whichever the means used to do it, isn’t allowed at school and will not be tolerated. Also, clarify that any form of bullying will be strictly punished.
2. Every school district should have an anti-bullying policy that incorporates all the educational staff, including the school director, administrators, teachers, parents, and children.
3. Add classes about Internet Safety Awareness to the schedule. Everyone will find them beneficial, and they might help some kids who are being bullied or cyberbullied and are afraid to talk.
4. Hold discussion sessions about bullying, its forms and types, and how everyone has a role in preventing it. Engage the parents with the teachers and students. Even using student assemblies or council to project the ideas to their peers, there are also school events as well as PTA meetings, have a discussion and get everyone involved.

There’s also a major role that politicians can play, which is advocating for the drafting and passing legislation that criminalises cyberbullying and makes it punishable by the law. Canada passed in 2015 a bill stating that distributing images of someone without their approval is illegal. If there were reasonable grounds on which the police believed a violation took place, they could get a warrant to collect information about the concerned internet users.

How Social Media Applications Are Helping Limit Cyberbullying

One important step in the face of cyberbullying is setting clear guidelines for users of any website to use. If not followed, the behaviour can be reported to the administration, and the person can be warned and later blocked if not compliant. Several of the most used social media applications have set guidelines for reporting offensive behaviour. These are as follows:

Facebook and Instagram

The owner company stated its commitment to leading the way in fighting cyberbullying to safeguard the safety of the community and that of youth as well. It uses AI technology to filter out comments that are offensive or intended to annoy others or harass them, using the “Hide Offensive Comment” feature. This feature or filter is turned on for all users and cannot be turned off.

On Instagram, when users add a new post and write a caption that the AI detector deems offensive, they are notified that their caption resembles previously reported captions for cyberbullying. Then, the user can edit their caption to conform to the set guidelines. Comments or captions detected by AI as offensive include comments making fun of someone’s appearance or character or even comments containing direct threats to the victim or their health.

Other options on the application include blocking, muting, or even restricting the cyberbully. The other person will not know; they will not be notified. If you don’t feel like blocking or muting them, you can use the restriction tool to protect your data while watching out for the cyberbully.

“People speak about diversity and representation like the world is ready. But when it actually happens, people can’t take change. They can’t deal with it. Which is why we have things like cyberbullying, which is why people will send you nasty DMs, say nasty things in your comments. Because they’re just not dealing with it, they’re not ready.”

Zozibini Tunzi

X (Twitter)

X is most known for sharing ideas directly, with a simple and attractive interface. However, with the ideas flying here and there, it’s normal to feel that someone’s ideas don’t suit you. Then all you need to do is unfollow this person, and problem solved. However, if you keep getting offensive and disturbing content, you can block the account or even report it to the X administration. The methods X uses include technology and human effort, with the help of its users, to identify abusive comments or behaviour.

TikTok

The trending social media application stated that its main priority is providing a safe environment for its users to feel free and express themselves creatively. This is why any post or comment aimed at shaming, harassing, or bullying community members is removed. Technology and human power, represented in moderators, work together to identify and remove abusive content.

TikTok also provides its users with control tools to control everything: who gets to see their content, who can interact with it, who can comment, and the tool to moderate the comments.

Controlling Cyberbullying During COVID-19

Not all schools have opened their doors to students since the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing. There are several steps that parents can take to keep an eye on their kids and make sure they aren’t cyberbullying anyone online or they aren’t victims of cyberbullying themselves:

Guidelines

Parents can try to limit screen time for their kids and replace it with better, more interactive activities to keep them busy and away from the internet and cyberbullying. This is an important and difficult step, but if the parents try to participate in those activities with the kids, it will be more fun for them.

Leave the Door Open

You must always talk with your kids about what’s happening, especially during the difficult times of the pandemic. With stress, many locked-down places, and restrictions, they can get frustrated and depressed easily. This can either lead them to cyberbullying others or become victims of cyberbullying. Let your kids know they can always come to you, talk to you, and work out solutions and steps together.

Encourage Kids to Communicate More

Kids need connections with friends and family to promote their emotional and thinking development. Having to stay at home means this connection has been deeply affected, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression. It’s a great step to encourage your kids to use video calling applications to communicate with their friends and maintain their friendships and communication with those close to them.

What Can I Do If I or Someone I Know, Is Being Cyberbullied?

If you’re getting cyberbullied, there are several steps you can take:

1. Tell the cyberbully to stop.
2. Do not retaliate against incoming messages, emails, or texts the cyberbully is still sending you.
3. Seek the help of someone else, preferably an adult, a parent, a teacher, the school counsellor or even a therapist.
4. Take screenshots and photos of all the disturbing behaviour the cyberbully exhibited and save them on your phone.
5. Completely block the cyberbully on social media or whatever means they used to get to you.

“If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”

Fred Korematsu

If someone you know is being cyberbullied, please follow the same steps. It’s crucial to report the matter to someone who can hold the cyberbully accountable. Your friend might feel afraid to talk to an adult, so be their trusted friend and encourage them to talk to someone responsible who can help them. Take care not to get dragged into the cyberbullying yourself; rather, take all evidence and seek help from an adult.

It’s difficult to say cyberbullying will be completely eliminated, but it’s vital to work together to help curb this stealth thief stealing the liveliness of our youth.