What does cyberbullying look like?

Cyberbullying is the use of technology to bully a person or group with the intent to hurt them socially, psychologically or even physically.

Examples include

• Abusive texts and emails.
• Hurtful messages, images or videos.
• Imitating, excluding or humiliating others online.
• Spreading nasty online gossip and chat.
• Creating fake accounts in someone’s name to trick or humiliate them.

I think my child is being bullied

Your child may not tell you if they are experiencing bullying behaviour online because they’re worried it will make things worse or they may lose access to their device. Watch for these signs:

• Being upset after using the internet or their mobile phone.
• Changes in personality; becoming more withdrawn, anxious, sad or angry.
• Appearing more lonely or distressed.
• Unexpected changes in friendship groups.
• A decline in their school work.
• Changes in their sleep patterns.
• Avoidance of school or clubs.
• A decline in their physical health.
• Becoming secretive about their online activities and mobile phone use.

What can I do?

Talk to your child about cyberbullying before it happens. Together you can work out strategies to address issues and reassure them you’ll be there to support them.

• Listen, think, stay calm — talk to them about what happened, remain open and non-judgemental, ask how they feel and ensure they feel heard.
• Collect evidence — take screenshots of messages or posts in case you need to report it later.
• Block and manage contact — help your child block or unfriend the person and adjust privacy settings.
• Report it — if serious cyberbullying is affecting your child, report it to the social media service or relevant platform; many have dedicated reporting tools.
• Get help and support — check in regularly with your child, and seek help through a counselling or online support service if needed.

This material has been adapted with permission from the Australian Government eSafety Commissioner. Permission to adapt content does not constitute endorsement of material by the eSafety Commissioner.