How to Spot the Signs of Cyberbullying

 

Spot the Signs of Cyberbullying – Cyberbullying and its continued rise is a growing concern to parents and teachers throughout the country. Ireland’s Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Dr Geoffrey Shannon has recently said that cyberbullying is ‘one of the biggest challenges facing Irish schools’ and has called for stronger legislation to protect children in relation to this specific type of bullying.

Signs of cyberbullying, at its simplest, is when one child targets another child with humiliating, embarrassing or threatening behaviour through the Internet or a mobile device.

When we asked children about their experience of cyberbullying as part of our Zeeko All Ireland Trend Report they told us that: 23% of pupils in 5th class and 34% of 6th class pupils had experienced cyberbullying themselves or were aware of friends and/ or family members who had experienced cyberbullying. At Zeeko we regularly hear parents and teachers voice concerns about cyberbullying and how best to deal with it. Given that this form of bullying can take place via a digital device such as a smartphone, laptop or tablet it can be difficult to spot the signs of cyberbullying and this can increase anxiety and concern for parents in particular.

So, how can you spot the signs of cyberbullying? If your child:

How to Recognise the Signs of Cyberbullying?

Every child will react differently, but there are several common indicators that may suggest a child is experiencing online harassment. You may notice that your child:

  • Is reluctant to talk about what they are doing online

  • Appears anxious when receiving a text message or instant message

  • Shows sudden or unexplained anger after being online

  • Begins to withdraw from family or friends offline

These behaviours, combined with traditional signs of bullying—such as difficulty sleeping, visible stress, or reluctance to attend school—signal that a child may need support, reassurance, and intervention.

Supporting Your Child: Communication Is Key

Open communication remains the most important tool for helping your child deal with cyberbullying. A simple and effective strategy is the STOP, BLOCK, TELL rule:

  • STOP: Encourage your child to stop what they are doing online the moment they feel uncomfortable.

  • BLOCK: They should block anyone who is sending hurtful, unkind, or threatening messages.

  • TELL: Reinforce that they can always tell you or another trusted adult about what happened, without fear of punishment or blame.

This approach gives children a clear, practical way to respond to a cyberbully quickly and safely.

Signs of cyberbullying is now a very unfortunate fact of living in a digital world and is on the increase. However once you keep the lines of communication open with your child and help them to feel empowered when they are online, they will undoubtedly be better equipped to deal with the challenge of cyberbullying.

The Zeeko Internet Safety Guide provides more comprehensive advice on dealing with cyberbulling and other internet safety topics. You can buy a copy of the book here.

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Explore Zeeko’s Home Page to discover our mission on the About Us Page, innovative Phone Blocking System, and engaging Phoenix Quest 10 programme. We provide Internet Safety Seminars, the Zeeko Report Card, and the Magical Leaders Choose Country initiative, alongside insights from our Digital Trend Report. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram for updates.