How to Prevent Cyberbullying with Technology

Technology can help prevent cyberbullying in two ways: platform tools that let people block, restrict, filter and report harassment, and automated systems that help platforms find abusive content at scale. Technology is one layer of prevention. Adults who stay involved, save evidence and report problems remain essential, and the guidance below covers what kids, parents and educators can do.

Cyberbullying is becoming more prevalent among children and teens. Cyberbullying Research Center (national survey, May 2025): A nationally representative survey of 3,466 U.S. middle/high school students (ages 13–17) collected in May 2025 found ~58% reported experiencing cyberbullying at some point in their lifetime, and ~33% reported cyberbullying in the most recent 30 days. The center’s follow-up report put the 30-day rate at 32.7%, up from 17.2% in 2019.

The consequences of cyberbullying can be serious. A study published in BMC Public Health in 2025, based on a 2023 survey of 2,697 U.S. students ages 13–17, found that exclusion and rejection, such as being left out of group chats, were as strongly linked to post-traumatic stress symptoms as explicit threats. How often a student was targeted mattered most. For more on how data science supports mental health care, including work on crisis support, see our guide to how data science can improve mental health care. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or self-harm, the 988 Lifeline is available by call, text or chat, 24 hours a day, and says its conversations are free and confidential.

Historically, human moderators reviewed offensive content on social media platforms manually. Now, many platforms use automated systems, including artificial intelligence (AI), to detect harmful content, as the examples below show. Read on to find out more, and what parents, teachers and young people themselves can do to combat cyberbullying.

Examples of Cyberbullying and Who Is at Risk

Cyberbullying can be hard to pin down, since some young people may not consider name-calling or other common behaviors bullying. Also, some may be reluctant to report being bullied online, due to embarrassment or fear of repercussions. The guidance from UNICEF for young people addresses both: how to tell the difference between a joke and bullying, and what to do if you are afraid to tell your parents.

In the Cyberbullying Research Center’s 2025 data, the most common forms of cyberbullying experienced in the past 30 days were exclusion from a text or group chat (32.5%), mean or hurtful online comments (31.6%), online embarrassment or humiliation (31.3%) and online rumors (29.2%).

According to the Cyberbullying Research Center’s 2025 nationally representative survey, 36.6% of boys and 28.6% of girls reported being cyberbullied in the past 30 days. Recent cyberbullying victimization among boys was highest at age 13 (44.8%) and generally declined with age through 17 (30.1%).

How Can Artificial Intelligence Combat Cyberbullying?

AI is increasingly used to detect and triage bullying, harassment, and other offensive content at scale, helping platforms manage the volume of posts that would overwhelm humans alone. For example, YouTube says violating content is flagged through automated detection and human reporting, and that most of it is detected automatically. Creators can also hold potentially inappropriate comments for review, hide certain users and block words.

Automated enforcement makes mistakes, and platforms acknowledge it. Meta says that in December 2024 it removed millions of pieces of content every day, less than 1% of the content posted daily, and estimated that one to two in every 10 of those actions may have been mistakes. In a May 2025 update, Meta reported a roughly 50% reduction in enforcement mistakes in the U.S. between the fourth quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. Meta also said it will continue to proactively hide bullying and other harmful content from teens.

Tools that scan messages and posts also raise questions about how personal data is collected and used. Our overview of data privacy issues in data science looks at those concerns. To see how data science is used at large social platforms more broadly, read our guide to data science in the Internet industry.

Platform Tools That Help Reduce Cyberbullying

UNICEF’s guidance lists tools that young people can use on major platforms. Features and names differ by app, so check each platform’s settings.

How to Prevent Cyberbullying

While technology shows promise in helping to combat cyberbullying, there are many things young people, parents and teachers can do to address the problem as well.

Jump to: For Kids | For Educators | For Parents

Tips to Prevent Cyberbullying for Kids and Teens

• IGNORE. It’s not easy, but don’t respond or react to negative comments or interactions online. StopBullying.gov advises not replying to cyberbullying messages or passing them along.
• RECORD. Document the bullying by taking screenshots, saving the chat log or keeping a record of the incident(s) in some other way in case the offending content is taken down by the bully before you report it. StopBullying.gov says you will need this evidence when you report to platforms or schools.
• REPORT. Report bullying or abuse to your internet service provider, website moderator or social media platform. Cyberbullying often violates a platform’s terms of service. StopBullying.gov also points to schools and, for threats of violence, sexually explicit messages or photos, stalking or hate crimes, law enforcement.
• BLOCK. UNICEF points out that many platforms have created various options for users to restrict others from accessing their full profiles or commenting on their social media. Users should familiarize themselves with the options and use them if necessary, as described in the table above.
• TELL. Talk to a trusted adult, such as a parent, relative, teacher or school counselor. UNICEF notes that child helplines are an option if you would rather not talk to someone you know.

Tips to Prevent Cyberbullying for Teachers and Educators

• If you think a child is being cyberbullied, speak to them privately to ask about it and tell a parent, as StopBullying.gov’s teacher guidance advises. The guidance also says to serve as a facilitator between the child, parent and the school if necessary.
• Ask students to sign an anti-bullying and cyberbullying pledge, in which they agree not to bully others and to report bullying they see. The National Crime Prevention Council’s educator handout recommends this.
• Establish acceptable internet use and anti-cyberbullying policies in school. StopBullying.gov notes that cyberbullying is often linked to in-person bullying and that many states require schools to address it in their anti-bullying policies.
• Advise parents to set clear expectations for their children’s online behavior and time online, as StopBullying.gov’s guidance on establishing rules recommends.

Tips to Prevent Cyberbullying for Parents

• Talk openly with your children about online risks such as cyberbullying, as StopBullying.gov’s parent guidance advises. Examples can include incidents which teens may view as harmless or normal (e.g., a stranger initiating a conversation regarding pictures your child has posted of themselves online).
• Check out websites, social media platforms and apps that your children use frequently to see what they encounter online. The same StopBullying.gov guidance advises staying up to date on the apps, social media and gaming platforms children use, and checking their privacy and security settings.
• Set clear rules and expectations for online behavior and time online, and check in often about your children’s online experiences. StopBullying.gov says conversations about cyberbullying and digital behavior are not a one-time event.
• Build trust so your children feel safe telling you if they are targeted. StopBullying.gov’s guidance calls trust key to making sure kids feel safe and comfortable coming to a parent with problems such as cyberbullying.
• Help victims keep a record of bullying incidents in case the situation escalates and law enforcement needs to intervene. StopBullying.gov says threats of violence, sexually explicit messages or photos, stalking and hate crimes are treated as crimes, and that some states criminalize other forms of cyberbullying, so check your state’s laws and contact local law enforcement if your child’s safety is at risk.

Common Questions About Preventing Cyberbullying

How do you report cyberbullying on social media?

Save evidence, block the person, then report the content or account in the app. StopBullying.gov links to reporting and privacy guidance for platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Discord, X and Twitch. Threats and other crimes go to law enforcement, and school-related cases go to the school.

How has technology changed cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying happens through digital tools, so technology is both where it occurs and where many prevention tools sit. In the Cyberbullying Research Center’s surveys, the share of 13- to 17-year-olds who said they were cyberbullied in the previous 30 days rose from 17.2% in 2019 to 32.7% in 2025. The surveys show how common it is, not what causes the increase.

Do kids need to quit social media to avoid cyberbullying?

A short break can help, but quitting is not a long-term answer. UNICEF says deleting certain apps or staying offline for a while can give you time to recover, but that getting off the internet is not a long-term solution. It also recommends using platform tools, talking to a trusted adult and thinking about what you post.

Cyberbullying Resources

• Cyberbullying Research Center: survey data and prevention guidance
• Enough Is Enough: a nonprofit working to make the internet safer for children and families
• National Crime Prevention Council: cyberbullying resources, including tip sheets and a teen FAQ
• Security.org: cyberbullying statistics
• StopBullying.gov: the U.S. government’s bullying prevention site