75+ Cyberbullying Statistics Every Concerned Parent Should Know in 2025

Cyberbullying is the reality of growing up online. Kids are dealing with full-scale harassment, social exclusion, and even AI-generated deepfakes meant to humiliate them. And the worst part? It is happening right under parents’ noses.

The cyberbullying facts and statistics tell a story most people aren’t ready to hear. More kids are being targeted, the abuse is getting smarter, and the effects are lasting longer. Some brush it off as “kids being kids,” but there is nothing normal about a child dreading school because of what is being said about them online.

Today, we will break down the cyberbullying statistics that reveal just how widespread and damaging it has become. Plus, we will tell you what actions you can take using this cyberbullying data to make sure your child isn’t silently struggling.

What Percentage of Teens Experience Cyberbullying

1. Approximately 46% of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 have experienced cyberbullying in their lifetimes. 
   
   
2. In 2023, 26.5% of U.S. teens reported being cyberbullied within the last 30 days, an increase from 23.2% in 2021. 
   
   
3. A study found that 28.6% of U.S. females aged 13-17 experienced cyberbullying in the past month, compared to 24.2% of males. 
   
   
4. Lifetime exposure to cyberbullying affects 59.2% of girls and 49.5% of boys aged 13-17. 
   
   
5. Globally, one in six school-aged children has experienced cyberbullying.
   

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Cyberbullying Trends Over the Years

6. From 2016 to 2023, the percentage of U.S. teens reporting cyberbullying in the past 30 days increased from 16.7% to 26.5%. 
   
   
7. In Australia, valid complaints of cyberbullying increased fivefold over the past five years, with nearly 3,000 cases reported last year. 
   
   
8. Between 2018 and 2022, reports of boys cyberbullying others rose from 11% to 14%, and girls from 7% to 9%.
   
   
9. The percentage of students who said cyberbullying was “a big problem” at their school rose from 43% in 2016 to 54% in 2023. 
   
   
10. In 2016, 10.3% of teenagers reported staying home due to cyberbullying; this nearly doubled to 19.2% in 2023. 
    
    
11. Nearly half of U.S. teens reported being bullied or harassed online, with physical appearance being a common reason. 
    
    
12. Cyberbullying peaked at ages 14 and 15 before decreasing in later adolescence. 
    
    
13. 77.5% of cyberbullying victims reported mean or hurtful comments posted about them online. 
    
    
14. Only 39% of parents are aware of their child being cyberbullied.
    

Global Statistics of Cyberbullying

15. In Australia, 44% of young people reported a negative online experience in the last six months, including 15% who received threats or abuse online. 
    
    
16. In Ireland, 65% of children aged 8-12 have been contacted by a stranger online. 
    
    
17. In England and Wales, 21% of adults aged 20-24 experienced at least one form of harassment in the last 12 months, with around 25% of incidents occurring online. 
    
    
18. In the U.S., 28.6% of females and 24.2% of males aged 13-17 reported being cyberbullied in the past month. 
    
    
19. In Australia, nearly 3,000 valid complaints of cyberbullying were reported last year, a 37% increase from the previous year. 
    
    
20. In Australia, 98% of girls aged 14-19 have experienced appearance-related cyberbullying. 
    

Statistics About Cyberbullying in the US

21. 19.2% of students aged 12-18 reported being bullied during the 2021-2022 school year. 
    
    
22. In 2023, 54% of U.S. teens indicated that bullying, both in-person and online, was a significant issue in their schools, up from 43% in 2016. 
    
    
23. About 21.6% of students aged 12-18 who reported being bullied experienced it online or via text, with higher rates among females (27.7%) than males (14.1%). 
    
    
24. 74% of U.S. teens believed social media platforms were inadequately addressing cyberbullying concerns. 
    
    
25. Approximately 16% of high school students reported being electronically bullied in the 12 months preceding the survey. 
    
    
26. Among students aged 12-18 who reported being bullied, 13% experienced rumor-spreading, and 11.9% were made fun of or insulted. 
    
    
27. In 2023, 19.2% of American teenagers reported missing school days due to cyberbullying, nearly doubling from 10.3% in 2016. 
    
    
28. Approximately 44.2% of students aged 12-18 who were bullied notified an adult at school about the incidents. 
    
    
29. 77.5% of cyberbullying victims experienced mean or hurtful comments posted online. 
    
    
30. 75% of middle school students have visited a website bashing another student. 
    
    
31. In the U.S., 26.5% of teens reported experiencing cyberbullying within the last 30 days in 2023. 
    
    
32. In the U.S., 77.5% of cyberbullying victims reported mean or hurtful comments posted about them online in 2023. 
    
    
33. In the U.S., 19.2% of teenagers reported staying home due to cyberbullying in 2023.
    
    
34. Around 45% of parents have spoken with their children about online safety, but only 30% have taken active measures like installing parental monitoring apps.
    

Most Common Platforms for Cyberbullying

35. Instagram: 42% of young people reported experiencing cyberbullying on this platform. 
    
    
36. Facebook: 37% of youths reported being cyberbullied. 
    
    
37. Snapchat: 31% of youths experienced cyberbullying. 
    
    
38. YouTube: 10% of youths reported being cyberbullied. 
    
    
39. Twitter: 24% of youths reported experiencing cyberbullying. 
    
    
40. TikTok: 64% of youths reported being cyberbullied. 
    
    
41. YouTube: 79% of youths reported being cyberbullied. 
    
    
42. Snapchat: 69% of youths reported being cyberbullied.
     
43. Facebook: 49% of youths reported being cyberbullied. 
    
    
44. Instagram: 24% of youths reported experiencing cyberbullying.
    

Online Bullying Statistics About Most Common Tactics

45. Mean or hurtful comments: 77.5% of victims experienced this form of cyberbullying. 
    
    
46. Rumor-spreading: 13% of students aged 12-18 reported being targets. 
    
    
47. Name-calling: 32% of teens reported being called offensive names online. 
    
    
48. False rumors: 22% of teens reported someone spreading false rumors about them online. 
    
    
49. Unsolicited explicit images: 17% of teens received unwanted explicit images. 
    
    
50. Online monitoring: 15% of teens experienced someone other than a parent constantly asking about their whereabouts and activities. 
    
    
51. Physical threats: 10% of teens received physical threats online. 
    
    
52. Embarrassing photos/videos shared without consent: 7% of teens reported this experience. 
    

Statistics on Cyberbullying by Age Group

53. 15- to 17-year-olds are more likely than 13- to 14-year-olds to have been the target of multiple types of cyberbullying (32% vs. 22%). 
    
    
54. Cyberbullying is most prevalent among middle school and college students. 
    
    
55. A survey revealed that 65% of Irish children aged 8 to 12 have been contacted by a stranger online. 
    
    
56. 14.5% of tweens (ages 9-12) have experienced bullying online. 
    
    
57. Children as young as 2nd graders report negative online behaviors, with boys initiating such activities earlier than girls. 
    
    
58. 10- to 14-year-old girls are at a higher risk of suicide related to bullying experiences. 
    
    
59. 98% of girls aged 14-19 have experienced appearance-related cyberbullying. 
    
    
60. 59% of U.S. teens have personally experienced at least one form of cyberbullying. 
    
    
61. Students with disabilities, particularly those on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), face higher rates of bullying victimization. 
    

Statistics About Gender Differences in Cyberbullying

62. 32% of teen girls have experienced two or more types of online harassment, compared to 24% of teen boys. 
    
    
63. Among 15- to 17-year-olds, 38% of girls have experienced multiple forms of online harassment, while roughly a quarter of boys in the same age group report similar experiences. 
    
    
64. 80% of body-shaming tweets are sent by women, who also account for 50% of misogynistic tweets. 
    
    
65. Males are more likely to engage in cyberbullying perpetration than females. 
    
    
66. Female adolescents exposed to cyberbullying victimization demonstrate increased odds of substance use outcomes. 
    
    
67. 98% of girls aged 14-19 have experienced appearance-related cyberbullying, leading to significant body dissatisfaction. 
    
    
68. Transgender and gender-questioning students experience higher rates of bullying compared to their cisgender peers.
    

Cyberbullying Facts On Its Different Forms

69. 32% of teens have experienced name-calling online. 
    
    
70. 22% of teens have been the target of false rumors spread online. 
    
    
71. 17% of teens have received unsolicited explicit images. 
    
    
72. 15% of teens have experienced someone other than a parent constantly asking about their whereabouts and activities online. 
    
    
73. 10% of teens have received physical threats online. 
    
    
74. 7% of teens have had someone share explicit images of them without their consent. 
    

Psychological Impact of Cyberbullying Stats

75. Around 41% of cyberbullying victims develop social anxiety and increased stress levels. 
    
    
76. Teen victims of cyberbullying are 2.3 times more likely to develop symptoms of depression than their non-bullied peers.
    
    
77. 59% of cyberbullying victims report a decline in self-esteem. 
    
    
78. 45% of students who experienced cyberbullying reported feelings of helplessness and isolation. 
    
    
79. Adolescents exposed to online harassment are twice as likely to engage in self-harm compared to their peers. 
    
    
80. More than 25% of cyberbullying victims experience PTSD-like symptoms. 
    

Stats About Impact of Cyberbullying on School Performance

81. Students who experience cyberbullying are 20% more likely to have lower grades compared to their peers. 
    
    
82. 30% of students who are bullied online regularly skip school due to fear or anxiety. 
    
    
83. Students involved in cyberbullying incidents, either as victims or perpetrators, tend to have lower classroom engagement and participation. 
    
    
84. 40% of students who are cyberbullied lose interest in school-related activities.
    

How to Prevent Your Kids Against Cyberbullying as a Parent

No parent wants to see their child go through the nightmare of cyberbullying. But with kids spending so much time online, it is a real concern. Here are simple, practical steps you can take to protect your child and help them manage the digital world safely.

1. Use the XNSPY Child Monitoring App

Parenting in the digital age is tough. Your kid could be dealing with cyberbullying right now, and you wouldn’t even know it. That is where you need XNSPY. With it, you can monitor social media activity on apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Snapchat – hotspots for cyberbullying. If your child is receiving harassing messages, you will see them before things get worse. 

Plus, XNSPY’s keyword alert feature lets you set up alerts for words related to bullying, threats, or self-harm. If your child receives or sends any flagged words, you will get an instant notification. 

If you want to know if your child is being excluded from group chats or targeted on gaming platforms, XNSPY tracks app activity and browsing history, so you will spot any concerning patterns. And if your child seems distressed but won’t open up, you can use the screen recording feature to check what is happening on their phone in real-time.

If you suspect your child is being cyberbullied outside of school, XNSPY’s GPS tracking lets you see where they are, ensuring they are not avoiding school or meeting potential bullies in person. Call and SMS monitoring also helps you keep tabs on who they are talking to and whether any suspicious contacts keep reaching out.

2. Keep Open Communication

Cyberbullying thrives in silence. Kids often don’t tell their parents because they fear losing phone privileges or being told to “just ignore it.” Instead of jumping to solutions, create a safe space for your child to talk. Let them know they won’t get in trouble for being honest about their online experiences. Make it a habit to ask open-ended questions like, “Anything interesting happened online today?” to encourage conversation without pressure.

3. Set Privacy Settings on All Accounts

Privacy settings are your kid’s first line of defense. Go through their social media accounts together and lock down everything – only friends should see their posts, and personal info like their location should be hidden. Also, disable DMs from strangers and turn off tagging from unknown users. This reduces the chances of cyberbullies finding and targeting them.

4. Create a “Digital Safe Word”

Not all kids feel comfortable saying, “I’m being bullied.” Sometimes, they just want to signal that something’s wrong without explaining everything. Set up a digital safe word – a simple word or emoji your child can text you when they need help. 

It could be as random as “pineapple” or an inside joke you both share. Once they send it, you’ll know they need support or an excuse to leave an uncomfortable online conversation.

5. Set Up a Fake Social Media Profile

Create a fake profile on platforms your child uses. This helps you see what is trending, what slang is being used, and where cyberbullying is happening. You don’t have to interact – just observe. This way, you will know if a new challenge or trend could be harmful to your kid, and you can talk to them about it before they are caught off guard.

FAQs

What causes cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is driven by anonymity, lack of accountability, peer pressure, and the ease of digital communication. Kids and teens engage in it due to power dynamics, revenge, or seeking attention. Social media algorithms that promote controversial content also fuel toxic interactions.

Has cyberbullying increased over the years?

Yes, cyberbullying has risen sharply. Reports show a consistent increase in online harassment, especially with the growth of social media, gaming platforms, and AI-driven abuse. Over 50% of teens have experienced some form of cyberbullying, up from previous years.

How many people get cyberbullied a year?

Around 46% of U.S. teens experience cyberbullying each year, while global rates vary between 19% to 57%, depending on the country.

Who is most affected by cyberbullying?

Teenagers, especially girls and LGBTQ+ youth, are the most affected. Studies show that middle and high school students face the highest cyberbullying rates, with victims experiencing anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal. Younger children are also increasingly targeted due to expanded internet access.

What country has the highest rate of cyberbullying?

The Philippines has the highest cyberbullying rate, with over 80% of internet users reporting online harassment. The U.S. and India also rank high, with growing concerns over social media abuse and digital safety issues among youth.