The usual image one visualizes when they hear the word “bullying” is a couple of kids teasing or pushing another kid in the school hallway or on the school playground.
However, today, bullying is cyber bullying that happens in the digital playground, which can be more sinister by far.
In this article, we will discuss cyberbullying statistics to show you how prevalent it is and the impact it has.
Let’s face it, preteens and teens started spending more time on their devices during the pandemic, which contributed to a rise in cyberbullying.
Let’s investigate some cyberbullying data.
Key Statistics
- 65% of adults in the world reported that their kids or kids in their local area have experienced cyberbullying on social media.
- Due to the pandemic, social media cyberbullying rose by up to 70%.
- Over 36% of people in the world feel they have been cyberbullied during their lifetime.
- In 2022, roughly 50% of the young American population experienced online bullying.
- 32% of American teenagers reported cyberbullying in the form of offensive name-calling.
- 10% of U.S. teens reported receiving physical threats online.
- 17% of parents in the United Kingdom said their child(ren) have been cyberbullied.
- 1 in 10 teenaged cyberbullied victims tell their parents or another trusted adult about it.
- More than 35% of victims of bullying develop social anxiety.
- Women are over twice as apt as men to feel upset by cyberbullying.
Top Cyberbullying Statistics in 2025
1. 65% of Adults in The World Reported that Their Kids or Kids in Their Local Area Have Experienced Cyberbullying on Social Media.
Statistics show that 65% of the global adult population report that either their own children or children they know in their communities have experienced cyberbullying via social media.
Another 45% said they were being cyberbullied via messaging apps or SMS text messages.
(Exploding Topics)
2. Due to The Pandemic, Social Media Cyberbullying Rose by Up to 70%.
According to an analysis by L1GHT a company that developed AI technology that detects and filters toxic content to protect kids, online cyberbullying, and toxicity across video conferencing and social media sites experienced an uptake of up to 70% because of the pandemic.
Furthermore, university scholars from Florida and Denver found a correlation between a rise of toxic/cyberbullying tweets and the pandemic.
(Comparitech)
3. Over 36% of People in The World Feel They Have Been Cyberbullied During Their Lifetime.
While teenagers and preteens experience cyberbullying the most, it’s not exclusive to kids.
Young adults to seniors have also been cyberbullied in some form or fashion.
It’s important to note that 36.5% of people everywhere feel they have experienced cyberbullying of some kind over their lifetime.
Another 14.4% said it’s happened within the past 30 days in one study.
(BroadbandSearch)
4. In 2022, Roughly 50% of The Young American Population Experienced Online Bullying.
The Pew Research Center reported that 46% of all American teens aged 13 to 17 said they have been cyberbullied via their mobile phones or online platforms.
This research survey took place between April 14 and May 4, 2022.
While cyberbullying has been around for several years, the rise of mobile devices and mobile apps have given rise to the issue.
(Cloudwards)
5. 32% of American Teenagers Reported Cyberbullying in The Form of Offensive Name-Calling.
We know that 46% of all American teens report that they have been cyberbullied.
Of that 46%, 32% (most of it) was in the form of offensive name-calling.
Another 22% reported spreading false rumors about what happened and 17% said they received explicit images that weren’t requested by them.
(Pew Research Center)
6. 10% of U.S. Teens Reported Receiving Physical Threats Online.
Pew Research also reported that 15% of U.S. teens said they were persistently being asked personal questions about their whereabouts and if they were alone, 10% received physical threats, and 7% had explicit images shared without their permission.
These are just some of the issues that arise from cyberbullying.
(Pew Research Center)
7. 17% of Parents in The United Kingdom Said Their Child(ren) Have Been Cyberbullied.
Cyberbullying is a global issue and not exclusive to any one country or region, though it happens more in some regions than others.
For instance, in the United Kingdom, 17% of parents reported their children being cyberbullied and 14% of parents in Italy said the same.
Further data shows that 9+% of parents in Spain reported their children as being cyberbullied.
Surprisingly, data shows no cyberbullying in Russia.
(Panda Media Center, Statista)
8. 1 in 10 Teenaged Cyberbullied Victims Tell Their Parents or Another Trusted Adult About It.
Very few teens tell their parents or another trusted adult that they are being abused (cyberbullied) online.
This is one of the most important factors in the prevention of cyberbullying, but victims feel too ashamed or embarrassed to say anything.
(DoSomething)
9. More than 35% of Victims of Bullying Develop Social Anxiety.
According to data, 37% of victims who have experienced bullying, including cyberbullying also experience social anxiety afterward.
This data tells us that one of the effects of cyberbullying is social anxiety.
This is also one of the most harmful emotional problems that occurs due to being harassed and bullied.
It can leave a lasting impact on the victim’s self-esteem and leave them with depression and anxiety.
(DataProt)
10. Women Are Over Twice as Apt as Men to Feel Upset by Cyberbullying.
In a study of American adults, 15% of women reported that they felt extremely upset by being cyberbullied compared to 5%of men who said the same.
Moreover, 18% of women compared to 9% of men said it was very upsetting.
Cyberbullying is upsetting to everyone, but not to the same extent.
(Pew Research Center²)
11. 23% of Adults Targeted by Cyberbullying Say They Have Trouble Sleeping.
Not only does cyberbullying impact the world’s youth, it also impacts adult victims.
In fact, 23% of adults who have fallen victim to cyberbullying say they experience trouble sleeping.
This is the most common problem reported, which does have a huge impact on their health.
Sleep is crucial to renewing and restoring the body.
(Exploding Topics)
12. 16% of Cyberbullied Adults Felt Compelled to Improve Their Safety.
Data also reports that 16% of adults were compelled to take steps to improve their safety by taking self-defense classes or by moving to a safer place.
This can also include having home security systems installed and carrying protection with them like pepper spray.
(Exploding Topics)
13. 79% of People Surveyed Say that Social Media Companies Are Doing Poorly Regarding Online Cyberbullying.
Pew Research Center’s 2021 survey revealed that 79% of respondents said that social media companies are doing a poor to fair job at addressing the online bullying and harassment issues on their platforms.
Interestingly, social media platforms are getting low ratings for how they handle cyberbullying and online harassment, but most Americans aren’t interested in holding them legally responsible in any way.
(Pew Research Center²)
14. 45% if British Parents Trust Their Children to Be Responsible with Online Activities.
A 2022 Ofcom study in the U.K. reported that feeling connected to family and friends helps to reduce cyberbullying.
Roughly 45% of parents in the United Kingdom place trust in their children to be accountable for the content they consume in the online realm, which means they don’t feel the need for restrictions.
Another 50% of survey respondents said they do check on their child’s browsing behavior every few weeks.
(Comparitech, Ofcom)
15. of The 95% of Teens on The Internet, 85% Use Social Media.
Statistics show that 95% of teens use the internet.
Of this percentage, 85% use social media.
These figures are substantial and help us better understand how cyberbullying can increase.
This is one of the reasons we researched and shared this data.
We want to take part in spreading awareness.
(BroadbandSearch)
16. India Has the Highest Rate of Cyberbullying with The United States and Brazil Following Closely Behind.
Sadly, cyberbullying does occur more in some countries than others.
Recent data shows that the highest percentage of parents reporting cyberbullying of their children is in India at 42%.
In the United States, 34% of parents report the same and in Brazil that percentage is 30%.
If only we could report 0%.
(Cloudwards)
17. Among Teenaged Girls Aged 15 to 17, 54% Said They Experience Cyberbullying.
Besides the fact that youths are more apt to experience cyberbullying, 54% of teenaged girls between 15 and 17 say they have faced cyberbullying across all types.
Among this demographic, offensive name-calling (36%) and spreading false rumors(33%) were the highest types of bullying.
Among girls between 13 and 14, 41% experienced cyberbullying.
(Pew Research Center)
18. 1 in 5 Students Have Skipped School Due to Cyberbullying.
One of the issues with cyberbullying is that it can promote a lot of fear for the victim.
In fact, 1 out of every 5 students say they have skipped school due to cyberbullying issues, according to UNICEF data from 2019.
Moreover, data shows that school bullying occurs among 6th graders the most.
(Panda Media Center)
19. 81% of Students Would Intervene in Cyberbullying Events if They Could Do It Anonymously.
Another issue that arises in cyberbullying is in the intervention when students see it happening.
Most likely they fear retribution if they publicly intervene.
However, 81% said that if they could anonymously intervene, they would.
That represents 4 out of every 5 students.
(DoSomething)
20. Over 50% of Kids Who See Cyberbullying Online, but 95% Ignore It.
As mentioned, a significant issue with cyberbullying is the fear of intervening or reporting it.
Data shows that over 50% of children watch cyberbullying happen, but 95% of them ignore it.
While that may seem egregious, fear of retribution by cyberbullies is likely the main reason for the lack of reporting it.
(DataProt)
Conclusion
These statistics tell us the numbers, facts, figures, data, and other forms of researched information, but there are other things we need to be aware of regarding cyberbullying.
Few victims tell trusted adults, which means we also need to address awareness about that issue.
Should our children not feel comfortable enough to tell their parents or a trusted adult that they are being abused?
Sadly, too many feel ashamed or too embarrassed to talk about it.
Let’s raise that awareness as well.
Please read the FAQs to learn how to prevent and raise awareness of cyberbullying.
We hope these cyberbullying statistics have encouraged you to do more to help spread awareness and to prevent cyberbullying, especially in your own local area.
That’s the best place to start.
FAQs
1. What Are Some Types of Cyberbullying?
Our research resulted in these different common types of cyberbullying, but there are other forms as well:
• Harassment: This occurs when the bully sends repetitive unwanted messages like insults or threats.
• Exclusion: This is when bullies decide to exclude someone from their online activities or groups.
• Flaming: This includes sending hostile, hurtful, or angry messages.
• Tricking: Tricking is used to get someone to share their personal information or to talk them into doing something they normally wouldn’t do.
• Outing: When a cyberbully shares another person’s personal information, it’s called outing.
• Cyberstalking: This involves repetitive contacting, harassing, or following someone online.
• Denigration: Bullies that spread rumors or lies about others engage in denigration.
Remember that these are just some of the types of cyberbullying.
What Are Some Signs of Being Cyberbullied?
There are several signs that come with being cyberbullied like these:
• You feel upset, angry, or scared after using your devices or going online.
• You are being excluded from online activities and groups.
• You are getting hurtful, mean, or threatening messages.
• Someone is impersonating you online.
• You have private or embarrassing information showing up online.
How Can You Prevent Cyberbullying?
First, if you’re being cyberbullied, make sure to save all the evidence of said bullying (posts, messages, texts, screenshots, etc.).
Then, report the cyberbullying to the platform or website where it’s happening.
Also, speak with a trusted adult like your parents, teacher, or counselor.
To prevent cyberbullying, here are a few things you can do for yourself:
• Be careful and mindful of what you share online and don’t post anything you wouldn’t want everyone to see.
• Show respect to others online and avoid saying anything that you wouldn’t say to a person’s face.
• Use strong passwords and keep them to yourself.
• Be mindful of your privacy settings on social media and other such accounts.
• Report cyberbullying to the website or platform where it’s occurring (as mentioned above).
Who Do I Contact if I See or Suspect Cyberbullying?
We found several resources online that are helpful in terms of cyberbullying prevention.
• Cyberbullying Research Center: https://cyberbullying.org/
• StopBullying.gov: https://www.stopbullying.gov/
• ConnectSafely: https://connectsafely.org/
Also remember to report it to your school authorities, law enforcement, websites, platforms, and any trusted adult to cover all the options.
What Can Parents, Schools, and Communities Do to Prevent Cyberbullying?
One of the most helpful things that communities, parents, and schools can do is to take an active role and to report cyberbullying to the proper authorities depending on your country and region.
• Parents can start by being proactive about talking to their kids, setting rules about online behavior, and monitoring their online activities.
• Schools can implement clear policies against bullying of any kind by providing education and awareness about it. Also, creating a supportive school culture is imperative.
• Communities can also actively raise awareness and have resources available for victims and perpetrators. Community events can be helpful with spreading awareness and education.
