Factsheet

Cyberbullying: what is it and how can you protect yourself?

Cyberbullying can be really upsetting if it happens to you. It's when a person uses technology to bully or hurt someone else. It can happen on your phone, computer or tablet and is really hard to escape because young people spend so much time online these days. A cyber-bully might call you names, say mean things about how you look, claim ‘you have no friends' or tell lies about you. They say these negative things to try to make you feel bad about yourself or to feel like they have power over you.

Here are some of the more common types of cyberbullying:

If a bully uses technology to send a series of threatening messages and harasses their target over and over, this is called ‘cyberstalking'. Online bullying can be just as hurtful as face-to-face bullying because lots of people can see it and online messages can spread quickly. Sometimes you might not even know who the cyberbully is. Having harmful messages removed from the online world can also be hard to do sometimes.

How you can fight cyberbullying

If you've been cyberbullied, just remember you're not alone. It's NOT your fault and there are things you can do to get through it. It's not weak to ask for help with cyberbullying – it's super-smart! Here are some steps you can take: