What students should do about cyberbullying, including how to respond, report, and get support.
Cyberbullying is harassment, threats, humiliation, or targeted cruelty carried out online, and it can feel especially difficult because it follows you onto your phone and into your home. If this is happening to you, the most important thing to know first is that it is not your fault, and you do not have to handle it alone.
Practically, avoid engaging with the bully, because responding, arguing, or retaliating usually escalates things and gives them what they want. Instead, take screenshots and save evidence of the messages, posts, or accounts before blocking, since documentation matters if you need to report it later. Then use the tools available, block and report the accounts on the platform, tighten your privacy settings, and limit who can contact or comment on your content. Platforms have reporting systems for harassment, and using them is worthwhile even if it feels slow.
Most importantly, tell someone you trust, such as a parent, teacher, counsellor, or an older sibling, because carrying this alone is heavy and adults can help take steps you cannot take on your own. If the bullying involves threats, sexual content, blackmail, or impersonation, it may be a criminal matter, and it is appropriate to involve your school and, where serious, the police or a cybercrime reporting portal. Take care of your mental health too, since cyberbullying genuinely affects wellbeing, so step away from the platform for a while if you need to, and talk to a counsellor if it is weighing on you. And if you ever witness someone else being targeted, support them quietly and report it, because bystander support makes a real difference to the person being hurt.
Example: Instead of replying to abusive messages, a student can screenshot them as evidence, block and report the account, and tell a trusted adult who can help escalate it if needed.
One practical tip: Do not engage, but do save evidence before blocking, and tell a trusted adult. Cyberbullying is not something you should have to handle alone, and support genuinely helps.