How to Prevent Cyberbullying: 10 Efficient Tips for Kids and Parents
To prevent cyberbullying, start before anything happens: talk with your child, set app privacy and family phone rules together, and practice blocking, reporting and telling an adult. No tip stops every bully, so learn the signs a child is being targeted, too.
If it is already happening, save the evidence, report it to the app and the school, and stay on your child’s side.
What Cyberbullying Looks Like Now: 5 Common Types
Cyberbullying is bullying that happens through phones, computers and games. Like bullying in person, it is aggressive behavior that is repeated or can be repeated.
Five common types of cyberbullying children run into today:
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Type 1Hurtful messages and comments, sent directly or posted where others can see them.
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Type 2Being left out of a group chat on purpose.
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Type 3Rumors spread in chats and posts.
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Type 4Photos or videos of a child shared to mock them.
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Type 5Fake or impersonation accounts made in a child's name.
In a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, 46% of US teens ages 13 to 17 said they had ever experienced at least one of six cyberbullying behaviors it asked about.
For parents, the hard part is seeing it. Cyberbullying can happen in text and direct messages as well as on social media, it can go on 24 hours a day, and parents and teachers may not overhear or see it.
Ask your child which apps, games and group chats their friends use, and have them show you one. You learn where to look before anything goes wrong, and your child sees interest rather than a check-up.
Editorial persona: Adeline Ritter is a project-approved fictional expert profile, not an independently verified real person. This guidance was written and fact-checked by the editorial team; it is not a verbatim interview quotation.
If it is already happening and your child may hurt themselves, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, first; the tips can wait.
A parent may not be able to see all of it, so prevention starts before anything happens.
10 Ways to Prevent Cyberbullying, for Parents and Kids
How can you prevent cyberbullying when you can’t see the chats? Start early.
Each tip says who it is for (parents, kids or both together), what it does and where it falls short, then gives our verdict: how far it tends to lower the chance that cyberbullying starts or goes unnoticed, not a measured result.
There is no single answer to how to stop cyberbullying, so the ten tips are meant as a set.
1. Talk About Cyberbullying Before Anything Happens
For: parents.
What it does: your child learns what cyberbullying is, that being targeted is not their fault, and that telling you will not cost them their phone. Children may worry that they will lose access to their devices if they tell an adult, so say this promise out loud. Keep the talks short and regular rather than one big lecture. To start, ask what the group chats in their class are like this year.
In our view, the “you won’t lose your phone” promise is the core of this tip.
Where it falls short: some children still do not tell, even after these talks. A talk also does nothing about how other children behave.
Verdict: in our view, the base for most of the other tips: a child who expects help has a reason to tell you.
2. Agree on Family Rules for Phones and Group Chats
For: together.
What it does: you and your child write a short family plan: where phones stay at night, which apps and chats are fine, and what to do when a chat turns nasty, such as leaving it, taking a screenshot and telling you. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a Family Media Plan you can use as a template.
Where it falls short: in our view, rules tend to hold only when parents keep them too, and they need a fresh look as your child grows.
Verdict: worth the effort when your child helped write the plan.
3. Set Privacy Settings Together, App by App
For: together.
What it does: together, you go through each app your child uses: a private account, who can message, comment on or tag them, and the comment filters, where the app has them. Major apps, including Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, offer privacy controls of this kind, and they limit who can reach your child’s account.
Where it falls short: in our view, settings do little about classmates your child has already accepted as friends or followers. Apps also add and change settings over time, so check them again from time to time.
Verdict: in our view, a useful filter against strangers.
4. Practice Block, Mute and Report Before You Need Them
For: kids.
What it does: you find block, mute and report, where the app has them, in each app you use and try them once, for example on a family member’s account, so you can find them fast when it matters. Blocking generally stops that account from interacting with you directly.
Where it falls short: blocking by itself does not remove what was already posted, so report it too, and how a block treats a new account depends on the app.
Verdict: a quick first response worth practicing, but not the only one you need.
5. Post as if Everyone at School Could See It
For: kids.
What it does: you don’t share passwords, private photos or other people’s photos, and you don’t post anything you wouldn’t say to someone’s face. Whatever you post can reach people you did not mean it for and can stay online for a long time.
Where it falls short: a careful child can still be targeted. This tip limits what others can use; it does not make anyone safe.
Verdict: in our view, a good fit for any child who posts or chats: it takes material away from bullies.
6. Don’t Stay Silent in the Group Chat
For: kids.
What it does: when someone in a group chat is being targeted, you don’t forward or like the post; you send the person a kind private message and tell an adult. StopBullying.gov says bystanders can make a positive difference when they support the person being bullied, and it encourages kids to tell a trusted adult when they see others being bullied.
Where it falls short: in our view, standing up in public can turn the group on you. Telling an adult quietly is also an option.
Verdict: in our view, worth teaching: a group chat is an audience, and a bystander can choose not to be part of it.
7. Match Apps to Your Child’s Age
For: parents.
What it does: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Discord set 13 as their general minimum age, and some places set it higher. Following those age rules, or starting with apps built for children, delays your child’s entry into open feeds and large public group chats. Check each app’s age rule before your child signs up, not after.
Where it falls short: apps and games made for kids have chat features too. Waiting is not a plan without the first three tips.
Verdict: in our view, a good fit for children under 13; from 13 on, privacy settings and regular talks take over.
8. Talk About the Other Side: Never Joining In
For: together.
What it does: your child hears that a “joke” in a group chat can be bullying, and why it matters not to join in. StopBullying.gov lists warning signs that a child may be bullying others and gives guidance for parents whose child has bullied someone; read both before you need them.
Where it falls short: in our view, a child may not see their own part as bullying, and this talk is harder than the others.
Verdict: worth it, in our view, because prevention includes your own child’s behavior.
9. Use Parental Controls Openly, Not Instead of Talking
For: parents.
What it does: on a phone you manage, parental-control tools can limit screen time, downloads and contacts, and some can monitor content. Your child knows the tool is there and why.
A parental-control app such as Hoverwatch is one of these tools, for an Android phone a parent manages, with the child’s knowledge.
Where it falls short: a tool covers the device it runs on, so it misses other children’s devices, and messages that disappear can slip past it. Used as a hidden tool, it undermines the trust the first tip builds. Before you choose one, read about what parental-control apps collect, and how to judge their privacy.
Verdict: in our view, a possible extra layer next to the talks, not a replacement for them.
10. Know Your School’s Bullying Policy Before You Need It
For: parents.
What it does: you find out who handles bullying at your child’s school and how the school’s policy treats online bullying between students, so you have a contact ready. US states have their own anti-bullying laws or policies, and they differ.
Where it falls short: whether and how far a school can act on bullying that happens outside school depends on state law and school or district policy.
Verdict: in our view, a good fit for any family with a school-age child: it saves time on a bad day.
Here are all ten in one view.
Cyberbullying Prevention at a Glance: Summary of the 10 Tips
Each row gives the tip, who it is for, its purpose and its main limit.
| Tip | For | What it is for; its limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Talk before anything happens | Parents | A reason to tell; some still won’t |
| 2. Family rules for phones and chats | Together | Shared rules; parents keep them too |
| 3. Privacy settings, app by app | Together | Fewer strangers; not classmates |
| 4. Block, mute and report | Kids | Generally stops contact; posts stay until reported |
| 5. Post as if everyone could see it | Kids | Less material to misuse; no shield |
| 6. Don’t stay silent | Kids | Support for the target; bystander risk |
| 7. Apps matched to age | Parents | Age rules kept; kids’ apps have chats |
| 8. Never joining in | Together | Your child’s own part; a hard talk |
| 9. Parental controls, openly | Parents | An extra layer; covers one device |
| 10. Know the school’s policy | Parents | A contact ready; rules vary by state |
Signs of Cyberbullying That Are Hard to Notice
No tip stops every bully, so the next thing is knowing how to notice it.
Children may not tell an adult when it happens. Here is how to recognize bullying online from what you can see at home.
Signs of being bullied that may show in your child:
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Sign 1Strong reactions, such as anger or upset, to what is happening on their phone.
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Sign 2Avoiding school or friends.
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Sign 3Changes in sleep or eating.
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Sign 4Becoming withdrawn, or losing interest in people and activities they used to enjoy.
Signs around the phone:
- Using the phone or games noticeably less, or noticeably more.
- Hiding the screen or device when others are near.
- Accounts that are shut down or new ones that appear, or a sudden loss of friends.
The signs of bullying online and at school can overlap: what starts in a group chat can carry on in the classroom, and the other way around.
When you notice a change, ask about it at a calm moment and say what you saw, not what you suspect. Then listen before you suggest anything; the first conversation does not need to solve the problem.
Editorial persona: Raymond Santos is a project-approved fictional expert profile, not an independently verified real person. This guidance was written and fact-checked by the editorial team; it is not a verbatim interview quotation.
None of these cyberbullying signs proves anything on its own. Several together, over time, are a reason to ask, and if you see none of them, that is not proof that all is well either. If you notice one, note what you saw and when; a pattern over several weeks is then easier to see.
If you find out late, that is not a failure on your part.
If your child talks about hurting themselves, or you fear they might, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, now; do not wait for the next section.
When several signs add up, or your child tells you, this is what to do.
If It’s Already Happening: How to Deal With Cyberbullying
Once cyberbullying is happening, the order of the first steps matters: the child does not reply, saves what was sent and asks an adult for help, and the parent takes it to the app and the school.
What to Do if Your Child Is Being Bullied Online
Feeling angry or scared when you find out is a normal reaction.
- Listen first. Thank your child for telling you, and keep the promise from the first tip: telling you does not cost them their phone. Children may worry that telling an adult will cost them their device.
- Don’t reply or retaliate. Do not answer the bully, and ask your child not to answer either.
- Saving is not taking the phone. In our view, saving what was sent, with your child and on their device, keeps the promise. If you do need to hold the phone, because your child may hurt themselves or the case is a police matter, say why; it is still not a punishment.
- Save the evidence. Together, take screenshots of ordinary messages and posts, with the dates and times, before anything is deleted. If the material is a sexual image of a minor, do not forward it, post it, show it around or make extra copies; report it through the routes named in step 7 instead.
- Block and report. Block the accounts and report them in the app.
- Tell the school when classmates are involved, and give the staff the ordinary screenshots. Do not post the screenshots anywhere or name the other child in public. A sexual image of a minor is not an attachment to pass on; the routes in step 7 are the place for it.
- Know when it is a police matter. Contact the police when there are threats of violence, sexual images or messages involving a minor, stalking or hate crimes; some states treat other forms of cyberbullying as crimes too. Laws differ by state and country; this is general information, not legal advice. For sexual images of a minor, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children runs the CyberTipline and the Take It Down service.
- If your child talks about hurting themselves, get help now: call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US.
Over the next weeks, check in with your child regularly. If they stay withdrawn, consider counseling.
The next section speaks to your child directly.
For Kids: How to Stand Up to a Bully Online Without Making It Worse
What to do if you are being cyberbullied: don’t answer back, take screenshots of the mean messages, block the account, and tell an adult you trust. If you’re not sure whether something counts as bullying, show it to an adult anyway.
If someone sends you a sexual picture of a kid, don’t screenshot it, don’t send it on and don’t show it to friends. Tell an adult you trust right away.
Standing up to a bully online means not giving them a reaction and getting an adult involved. It does not mean insulting them back.
If you are working out how to deal with bullies who are also in your class, tell a teacher or another adult at school, and show them your screenshots.
Figuring out how to stop being bullied is not your job alone. It is fine to ask an adult for help, and to ask again if the first person does not act.
If it’s happening to a friend, message them privately, don’t share the post, and tell an adult together.
If you feel like you might hurt yourself, tell an adult now, and call or text 988 in the US.
Where to Start This Week
There is no one-time answer to how to prevent cyberbullying. Pick the line that fits your family:
- Your child is under 13 and just getting a phone: start with tips 1, 2 and 7.
- Your child is already in group chats: tips 3, 4 and 6, plus the signs in “Signs of Cyberbullying That Are Hard to Notice”.
- Something has already happened: go to “What to Do if Your Child Is Being Bullied Online” first, then tip 10.
For wider risks, such as strangers and device settings, see our guide to keeping your child safe online more broadly.
Our view: start with tip 1 tonight; most of the other tips work better when your child talks to you.
FAQ: Questions Parents Ask
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StopBullying.gov says monitoring apps can be useful but should be paired with open conversations to keep mutual trust, and the American Academy of Pediatrics says a family's media plan should evolve as the child matures. In our view, the line is that your child knows what you check and why. Agree in advance which apps you look at together and how often, and ease the checks as your child shows they can handle more. If something worries you, ask directly instead of looking quietly.
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Children may have several reasons for not telling adults: worry about losing their phone or other devices, embarrassment, fear of backlash from the child who bullied them, and a feeling that no one could understand. Any of these can keep a child quiet. Now, thank your child for telling you, say the phone stays with them, ask what would help, and follow the parent steps above.
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Yes, sharing what your child saw with the school is a reasonable step. The school acts under its own bullying policy, and StopBullying.gov encourages kids to tell a trusted adult and to report bullying when they see it happen to others. Talk with your child first, then give the school only the messages they saw; do not post them or name the other children in public. The school decides how to handle each child, so do not promise an outcome; tell your child why their report still matters.
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StopBullying.gov says parents should resist the urge to contact the other parents involved, because it may make matters worse, and that school or other officials can act as mediators between parents. Keep the evidence, with dates and times, and take it to the school and to the app. Block and report the accounts that harass your child. If classmates are involved, the school acts under its own policy, not under the other parents' view.
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Instagram lets you ask for a review if you disagree with a report decision, and after two reviews you may be able to appeal to its Oversight Board. It also has a separate impersonation report. StopBullying.gov says cyberbullying often violates platform terms of service and links to TikTok, Snapchat, Discord and other platforms' reporting guides. Keep screenshots of ordinary posts. A sexual image of a minor is different: do not forward, post or copy it; report it through the CyberTipline or Take It Down. Tell the school if classmates may be behind it. Contact the police for threats of violence, sexual images or messages involving a minor, stalking, hate crimes or other conduct your state treats as a crime.
All information in this article is provided for informational purposes only.
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Privacy & SecurityWhy It Is Hard to See
Cyberbullying can happen in texts, direct messages and on social media at any hour, so parents and teachers may not see or hear it.
How to Use the Tips
No single tip answers how to stop cyberbullying, so use all ten as a set; each verdict is our judgment, not a measured result.
The Promise
Say out loud that telling you will not cost your child their phone, because children may worry that telling an adult means losing their devices.
Settings Have Limits
Privacy settings filter strangers but do little about classmates already accepted as friends; apps change settings, so check them again from time to time.
Try It Once
Try block, mute and report once before you need them. Blocking does not remove what was already posted, so report it too.
In a Group Chat
When someone in a group chat is targeted, do not forward or like the post; send them a kind private message and tell an adult.
Use Them Openly
Parental controls work best in the open: your child knows the tool is there and why. A tool covers only the device it runs on.
Know the Contact
Find out who handles bullying at your child's school before you need them; whether a school can act outside school depends on state law.
Reading the Table
Each row gives one tip, who it is for and its main limit, so you can compare all ten tips quickly without rereading any section.
No Single Sign Proves It
Several together, over time, are a reason to ask, and if you see none of them, that is not proof that all is well either.
The First Steps
Once it is happening, the child does not reply, saves the evidence and asks an adult; the parent goes to the app and the school.
Pick Your Line
Pick the line that fits your family: a child under 13 with a first phone, one already in group chats, or something has already happened.