What to do about cyberbullying

Call the behaviour what it is

Cyberbullying can involve cruel messages, humiliating posts, fake accounts, repeated exclusion or sharing material to target someone. A disagreement is not automatically bullying, but you do not need a perfect label before asking for help. If people are organising others against you, repeatedly contacting you or making you afraid to open an app, take the situation seriously.

Being targeted is not evidence that you are weak or that you used the internet incorrectly. Someone else is responsible for their behaviour. Your immediate job is to protect yourself and bring in support, rather than winning a public argument with a crowd that may be looking for a reaction.

Make the next few minutes simpler

Step away from the conversation if you can. Put the device down, sit near someone you trust or ask a friend to help you look at the reporting options. Do not ask a large group to defend you by attacking the other person. That can widen the audience and create more material to manage.

Save useful evidence before blocking when it is safe to do so: account names, dates, links and screenshots of abusive messages. Do not copy or redistribute sexual images of anyone under eighteen. If sexual material is involved, use eSafety's specific evidence guidance and get help from a trusted adult.

Report through the right channel

Report harmful content to the platform or service using the category that best describes what happened. Keep a record of the report and any response. Reporting an account and reporting individual posts may be different options. Check both rather than assuming one button covers everything.

If serious content is not removed, eSafety provides reporting pathways for cyberbullying affecting people under eighteen and adult cyber abuse affecting adults. Its website explains the conditions and evidence required. Removal is not guaranteed for every unpleasant interaction, so continue building practical support even while a report is being considered.

If an impersonation account targets you

Ask someone you trust to help identify the profile and report it as impersonation, as well as reporting abusive material. Tell the people who genuinely need to know that messages from the account are not yours. Use a private channel or a short, factual statement. Avoid republishing the fake account's posts as a rebuttal, since that can send more people to the material. Keep a copy of any platform response so you can show what action you have already taken.

Bring school or work into the picture

Online bullying can follow you into a classroom, team or workplace. Tell an appropriate adult, teacher, student support worker or manager what is happening and how it affects your ability to participate. Bring a brief timeline instead of trying to retell every message from memory.

Ask for concrete arrangements: a named person to check in with, a plan for shared classes, instructions about contact and a date to review progress. If the first person dismisses it as drama, try another responsible person. A request for help should not depend on you delivering a flawless presentation while distressed.

Support the person being targeted

If you are witnessing bullying, do not forward the content for entertainment or add laughing reactions. Contact the person privately and ask what would help. You could sit with them while they report, accompany them to a teacher or make sure they have company during a difficult break.

If there are threats of violence, stalking or immediate danger, seek urgent help from police or emergency services as appropriate. After the immediate incident, restore ordinary contact: an invitation to lunch can matter as much as a serious conversation. People need relationships that are not organised entirely around the abuse they experienced. Check in again after the first wave of attention has faded.

If school and an app are both involved

A group chat report can be useful even if you also ask the school for help. Tell the school what is happening during the school day as well as what is happening in the app. Ask who will follow up and whether you can report new incidents to one person. Check eSafety’s reporting guide for what to provide and when to report to the platform first.