Cyberbullying: How to Spot It, Stop It and Help Your Child

Cyberbullying is bullying that happens through phones, games, apps and social media: cruel messages, embarrassing photos shared without permission, fake accounts, threats, or being shut out of group chats on purpose. Because it follows a child home and can spread to hundreds of people in minutes, it can hurt as much as anything said face to face. This guide covers how to recognize it, what to do in the first hour, and how to help your child afterward. Checked October 25, 2026 against StopBullying.gov guidance.

What cyberbullying looks like

• Mean, threatening or humiliating messages, comments or posts.
• Sharing private photos, screenshots or videos to embarrass someone.
• Fake or impersonation accounts made in a child’s name.
• Rumors spread in group chats, or deliberately leaving a child out.
• Repeated harassment in online games, including voice chat.

It is often connected to what’s happening at school, so the same kids may be involved in both places.

Warning signs to watch for

StopBullying.gov lists these signs that a child may be bullied online, or may be bullying others:

• A sudden change in how much they use their phone or computer, up or down.
• Strong reactions, such as anger, tears or nervous laughter, to something on the screen.
• Hiding the screen when you walk by, or refusing to talk about what they do online.
• Deleting social media accounts or opening new ones.
• Avoiding friends, activities or school they used to enjoy.
• Seeming withdrawn, down or not like themselves.

What to do: step by step

1. Stay calm and listen. Thank your child for telling you. Ask what happened, how it started and who is involved. Make it clear they are not in trouble.
2. Don’t reply or retaliate. Responding usually makes it worse, and a reply can be screenshotted and used against your child.
3. Save the evidence. Take screenshots of messages, posts and profiles, with dates, times and usernames visible. Write down what happened and where. Don’t forward the messages to other people. Never save or share any sexual image of a minor, even as evidence; describe it and report it instead.
4. Block the person. Every major app and game lets you block an account so it can’t contact your child.
5. Report it to the app or game. Cyberbullying usually breaks a platform’s rules, and reports can get posts removed and accounts suspended. Our App and Game Guides show where the safety settings are in each app.
6. Tell the school. Many states require schools to address cyberbullying in their anti-bullying policies, and some cover behavior off campus when it affects school. Share your screenshots with a counselor or principal and ask what they will do.
7. Contact police when the law may be broken. StopBullying.gov advises reporting to law enforcement when cyberbullying involves threats of violence, sexually explicit photos or messages involving a minor, photos or video taken where someone expects privacy, stalking, or hate crimes.
8. Check in again. Ask how your child is doing over the next few weeks. If they seem anxious or down, a school counselor or your child’s doctor can help find support.

Don’t take the phone away as a punishment

Many kids don’t tell an adult about cyberbullying because they’re afraid of losing their phone or game. Taking it away can feel like punishment for being the target, and makes it less likely they’ll come to you next time. Instead, adjust privacy settings together, and agree on breaks from the app if it helps your child feel better.

If your child is the one bullying

It’s hard to hear, but it happens in many families. Stay calm and find out what happened. Explain how the messages affected the other child, and agree on consequences that fit, such as an apology, deleting the posts, and closer supervision of their accounts for a while. Ask the school for help if it involves classmates. Sometimes a child who bullies is also being bullied, so ask about that too.

Prevent it before it starts

• Set accounts to private, and limit who can message your child to friends they know in real life.
• Talk about how to be a good bystander: don’t share mean posts, support the target privately, and tell an adult.
• Know which apps and games your child uses, and look at them together now and then.
• Agree that your child can tell you anything that happens online without losing their device.

Quick checklist

• Screenshots saved with dates and usernames
• Account blocked and reported in the app
• School told, with evidence
• Police contacted if there are threats, sexual images, stalking or hate
• Follow-up conversation scheduled for next week

Frequently asked questions

Is cyberbullying a crime?
Some forms are, such as threats, stalking and sharing sexual images of minors. Other cyberbullying may not be a crime but can still break school rules or a platform’s terms. Laws differ by state, so ask your local police or school if you’re unsure.

Should I contact the other child’s parents?
Sometimes it helps, but it can also make things worse. If you do, bring the screenshots and stay calm. When it involves classmates, going through the school is often the safer route.

What if the bully is anonymous?
Report the account to the app anyway. Platforms can see information you can’t, and can remove fake accounts. Save evidence in case police or the school need it.

Sources

• Report Cyberbullying, StopBullying.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), accessed October 25, 2026
• Prevent Cyberbullying, StopBullying.gov, accessed October 25, 2026
• Let’s Talk About Cyberbullying, Federal Trade Commission, accessed October 25, 2026
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, accessed October 25, 2026