Cyberbullying 2025: A Parent’s Action Plan for Safer Screens

Cyberbullying Prevention for Parents

Ijeoma Ndu
April 24, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

Hello Techies,

Smartphones and social media are now as common as backpacks and textbooks.

Yet one lurking threat still hides in plain sight: cyberbullying.

It is more than a buzzword—millions of young people face it every day.

37 % of youth aged 12–17 say they have been bullied online (Cyberbullying Research Center, 2024).
A 2022 Pew survey found 46 % of U.S. teens experienced at least one form of cyber-harassment.

Unlike schoolyard bullying, online harassment follows teens 24/7—from late-night DMs to viral posts before breakfast.

Research links cyberbullying to:

Step	What to Do	Why It Works
1. Keep Talk Open	Ask: What is happening online this week? Have you seen anything that felt off?	Teens who feel heard are more likely to report problems early.
2. Teach Digital Empathy	Encourage a pause-before-post habit. Remind them that jokes land differently on-screen.	Empathy lowers the odds they will bully—or ignore bullying—in the first place.
3. Master the Safety Tools	Use privacy settings, comment filters, and platform reporting features. Monitor device/app usage if needed.	Blocking and quick reporting stop harassment from snowballing.

Step

What to Do

Why It Works

1. Keep Talk Open

Ask:

What is happening online this week?

Have you seen anything that felt off?

Teens who feel heard are more likely to report problems early.

2. Teach Digital Empathy

Encourage a pause-before-post habit.

Remind them that jokes land differently on-screen.

Empathy lowers the odds they will bully—or ignore bullying—in the first place.

3. Master the Safety Tools

Use privacy settings, comment filters, and platform reporting features.

Monitor device/app usage if needed.

Blocking and quick reporting stop harassment from snowballing.

Save evidence (screenshots, URLs, timestamps).
Block or mute the aggressor—do not engage.
Report to the platform and, if classmates are involved, to school staff.
Loop in support—guidance counsellors, a mental-health professional, or a trusted relative.
Reassure your teen it is not their fault and they are not alone.

Common Sense Media – family tech reviews & lessons
StopBullying.gov – legal rights & reporting tips
PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center – toolkits for schools and families
Cyberbullying Research Center – up-to-date studies & statistics

Cyberbullying is real, but it is far from unstoppable.

Open dialogue, digital empathy, and smart safety tools create the strongest defence—so every child can feel safe on-screen and off.

Thank you for reading Tech Savvy Starts Here.

Together, we’re sowing confidence, curiosity, and kindness—one click at a time.

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Your Tech Partner,
Ijeoma Ndu, PhD