Social Media and Cyberbullying: How Parents Can Recognize, Respond, and Protect Their Children

Has your teenager been a victim of cyberbullying? If so, you are not alone. “From July 2021 to December 2023, 34.0% of teenagers were bullied in the last 12 months,” reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Overall, one-third of U.S. teens experience bullying in a year. ⁽¹⁾

The CDC goes on to say non-Hispanic teens were “more likely” to be bullied, so were sexual minority teens (47.1%) and teens with developmental disabilities (44.4%). ⁽²⁾

The long term effects on victims of social media and cyberbullying can be serious, since they could be lifelong. “Teenagers who were bullied were more likely to experience symptoms of both anxiety and depression.” ⁽³⁾

Recognizing the detrimental and long-lasting impacts of bullying on teen health prompts concerned parents to take action. This blog helps inform and guide parents who find themselves dealing with this problem.

How Is Social Media Linked to Cyberbullying?

“Bullying victimization occurs when a person is exposed to aggressive behaviors repeatedly over time by one or more people and is unable to defend themself,” explains the CDC. ⁽⁴⁾ Cyberbullying “is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets,” according to another government agency. ⁽⁵⁾

One behavioral health provider explains, “Teenage cyberbullying refers to the deliberate and repeated harassment, intimidation, or harm directed at adolescents through digital technologies and online platforms.” For example, cyberbullying can take the form of text messages, in addition to the sharing of harmful, negative, and false content. Cyberbullying can become criminal activity. ⁽⁶⁾

Here are some startling statistics on cyberbullying experiences reported by teens: ⁽⁷⁾

• 77.5% of victims received mean or hurtful comments posted online.
• 54% of teens reported both in-person and electronic bullying as a significant problem in school.
• 59.2% of girls experienced cyberbullying; more than the 49.5% of boys who did.
• 19.2% of victims missed days from school due to cyberbullying.
• 15% of U.S. public schools reported weekly cyberbullying incidents among students 12 to 18.
• 9% of school environments were noticeably impacted by it.

Worse yet, bullying is one of the primary causes of suicide among young people. Bullying progresses to cyberbullying and this is associated with suicide. Suicide rates among U.S. adolescents is increasing. In fact, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-34. ^{(8) (9) (10)}

Not only is cyberbullying a health issue, but teen online activity is concerning because photos, comments, posts, and other content are available online continuously and immediately. They often become a permanent public record. Victim’s online reputations can impact their future college admissions, club memberships, and employment opportunities. ⁽¹¹⁾

Social Media Features Lead to Cyberbullying

Various features on social media platforms can lead to cyberbullying. This is often because these platforms offer abusers the shield of anonymity, according to a learning resource network. That anonymity reduces accountability and “emboldens users to engage in harmful behavior they might avoid if their identity were known.” ⁽¹²⁾

Additionally, accounts are disposable. This makes them ripe for hit-and-run attacks and “circumvents bans; creates a cat-and-mouse game with platform moderators.” ⁽¹³⁾

And finally, virtual private network (VPN) usage “obscures the user’s location and identity, making tracking and legal action more difficult.” ⁽¹⁴⁾

Digital Platforms Favored By Teens

In 2024, trends in teens’ use of digital platforms demonstrates they favored YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, according to the Pew Research Center. Pew also says roughly three-quarters of teens visit YouTube daily, while around 6 out of10 say this about TikTok. ⁽¹⁵⁾

Social media platforms, like these, offer features that can be easily misused:

• Direct messaging (DMs): This is private, one-on-one messaging. These messages can become hurtful and hateful, or even intimidating and threatening. ⁽¹⁶⁾
• Comments: These allow viewers to respond to content. They can be used to communicate mild dislike, rejection, or even hateful feedback. This can cause great anxiety. ⁽¹⁷⁾
• Public posts: These let users publish content to a wide audience, instantaneously. Any negativity in posts becomes persistent, and even permanent. ⁽¹⁸⁾
• Group chats: Participants can stay continuously connected and engaged. They can exchange ideas, homework help, jokes, or weekend plans. Chats can also be used as a way to exclude, or spread hurtful and inappropriate content. ⁽¹⁹⁾
• Sharing features: These vary and can help spread content to a larger audience, even if that content is false or offensive. ⁽²⁰⁾

What Are the Warning Signs My Child Is Being Cyberbullied on Social Media?

Parents should pay close attention to their teen’s behavior and mental health. Teens who experience cyberbullying may not tell anyone, but they are likely to display some warning signs.

Warning signs that your teen is being cyberbullied include: ^{(21) (22) (23)}

• Appearing angry, depressed, or frustrated after texting, using social media, or gaming.
• Avoiding discussing what they do online.
• Becoming secretive about online activities, including hiding their screen when others are near.
• Changing eating habits, such as eating too much or too little.
• Shifting attitude regarding self-esteem or language, such as putting themselves down or speaking negatively about themselves.
• Having emotional outbursts to what is on their devices, including laughter, anger, or tears.
• Experiencing sleep disturbances, like not sleeping, nightmares, or waking at odd hours.
• Missing school frequently because of supposed illness or coming home early.
• Slipping down in their grades.
• Losing interest in things that mattered to them, including sports, work, and clubs.
• Making statements about suicide or the meaninglessness of life.
• Resisting attending school or events with peers.
• Shutting down their social media accounts or opening new ones.
• Spending more time with parents than with peers.
• Stopping using their devices suddenly.
• Withdrawing from family or friends.

If you notice these signs in your teen, begin by asking probing questions. Create a safe space for them to talk and share their feelings. Show them empathy and support. Listening can make all the difference.

How to Prevent Cyberbullying Before It Happens

“Cyberbullying can take many forms. This includes direct attacks, being left out, or spreading rumors online.” ⁽²⁴⁾ Knowing how to prevent it can save your child’s mental health and possibly their life.

Here are some suggestions to prevent cyberbullying: ^{(25) (26) (27)}

• Encourage critical evaluation of online content. Teach teens digital literacy, including how to block bullies and save evidence. Also teach them how to fact check, spot bias, and identify false information.
• Encourage healthy communication through nonjudgmental conversations and active listening. This helps to build trust. So does sticking to established rules and being open to making changes as your teen matures.
• Help teens understand how social media features try to control everyone’s behavior by getting them hooked through autoplay videos or nonstop notifications.
• Report cyberbullying incidents to schools and police. This is especially necessary when the incidents involve physical threats or repeated harassment.
• Watch for any mental health warning signs. Learn more about how social media can affect your teen’s mental health.

What Should I Do If My Child Has Been Harmed on Social Media?

If you notice signs that your child is being cyberbullied, acknowledge them and investigate your child’s social media behavior. The most important and immediate steps are to take it seriously and be supportive of your child. Next, you need to address the behavior itself and those who are participating in it. ⁽²⁸⁾

Below are some steps you can take if your child is bullied on social media: ⁽²⁹⁾

• Assure their safety. Your goal is not only to actually make your child physically safe, but help them to feel safe.
• Talk with your child. Speak calmly to learn exactly what happened and understand the surrounding circumstances it occurred in. “Don’t minimize the situation or make excuses for the aggressor,” advises the Cyberbullying Research Center. Ask your child what they would like to see happen.
• Collect evidence. Screen shots, recordings of conversations, messages, and pictures can all be used as proof. Make notes of relevant details like the location, frequency, harm done, identity of those involved, witnesses, and backstory of each instance.
• Get the school involved. Contact the school administration if the abuser attends the same school as your child. Educators are responsible to ensure your child is, and feels, safe at school.
• Avoid drama and retaliation. Do not contact the parents of the bully or bullies. The parents may become defensive or antagonistic.
• Contact service providers. Cyberbullying violates terms of service of almost all social media platforms, websites, apps, games, networks, internet, and cell phone companies. Your child does not have to be able to identify by name who bullied them. Provide usernames, the account information of aggressors, any digital evidence you have, and incident details.
• Seek counseling. Your child can benefit from speaking with professional mental health providers and support groups. Your child may see these people as being more objective.
• Notify the U.S. Department of Education. Bullying based on race, sex, or disability needs to be reported to their Office of Civil Rights. This type of cyberbullying may be considered a hate crime.
• Contact police. States have clear laws regarding physical threats, stalking, coercion, blackmail, or the creation and exchange of sexually explicit material involving minors. Technology-related offenses can be prosecuted.

Can I Take Legal Action for Cyberbullying?

Yes! Social media companies can and should be held accountable for the harm they do, especially to minors.

If your child was seriously harmed or worse — took their own life — due to cyberbullying, you may want to file a lawsuit. Although it cannot change what happened, a lawsuit can provide monetary compensation for many things, such as medical expenses and long-term emotional or psychological harm.

Social media platforms often place profits above concerns for minor users, so they take insufficient steps to ensure safety. Social media addiction, cyberbullying, and interactions with predatory adults all occur on these platforms.

Weitz & Luxenberg Helps Get Justice for Your Child

Hiring a law firm with experience in litigating social media and cyberbullying cases can help provide a successful outcome in your case. Weitz & Luxenberg has this experience. We represent victims and their families in lawsuits against corporations such as Meta Platforms, Inc. (Facebook, Instagram), as well as Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.

Our desire is to help families who suffered terrible harm from social media platforms. These harms can range from cyberbullying and contact with predatory adults, to addiction and eating disorders, to anxiety and depression, to self-harm, and even to attempted suicide or death.

Our attorneys stand up to large companies whose choices harm others, particularly when social media and cyberbullying are involved. We have the resources to take the fight as far as necessary in the pursuit of justice for our clients. We are proud of our winning record.

Remember, your consultation with our team is free. So, contact us today by filling out the form on this page or calling (917) LAWYERS.