The Rise of Cyberbullying and How To Protect Yourself Online
A Practical Guide for Children, Youth and Parents
For today's children and youth, the digital world is an integral part of life—a space for learning, connecting, and exploring identity. However, this always-on environment also presents a new frontier for an old problem: bullying. Cyberbullying, the use of technology to harass, threaten, or humiliate someone, has become a pervasive issue affecting the mental well-being of young Canadians. Recent Statistics Canada data confirms a strong, consistent link between cybervictimization and poor mental health outcomes, including higher risks of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. This guide is designed to empower kids, teens, and their parents with the knowledge and practical strategies needed to navigate online spaces safely and with resilience.
What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is more than just a mean comment online. It is defined as willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices. It is aggressive, intentional, and involves a real or perceived power imbalance, just like in-person bullying, but it leverages digital tools to amplify its reach and impact.
The Many Faces of Online Bullying
Cyberbullying can take several forms, often overlapping:
Harassment: Sending repeated, offensive, insulting, or threatening messages.
Denigration ("Dissing") or Gossiping: Spreading cruel rumours, gossip, or posting false information online to damage someone's reputation or friendships.
Impersonation: Pretending to be someone else online, often to post embarrassing or damaging material as them.
Outing and Trickery: Sharing someone's secrets or embarrassing information online, or tricking them into revealing private details and then sharing them publicly.
Exclusion: Intentionally and cruelly excluding someone from an online group, chat, or game.
Cyberstalking: Using digital means to repeatedly harass and threaten someone, causing them to fear for their safety.
Cyberbullying’s power lies in its ability to be pervasive, permanent, and public. These scenarios show how it can start, escalate, and manifest across different age groups.
Scenario 1: Primary School (Grade 4) - The Group Chat Exclusion
Jamal’s friends, Aiden and Jayden, create a group chat on a kid-friendly messaging app to plan a weekend playdate at the trampoline park. They purposefully do not add Jamal, who has been part of their friend group all year.
The Escalation and Forms of Bullying:
Exclusion: The initial act is intentional social exclusion in a digital space, making Jamal feel left out and confused.
Harassment and Denigration ("Dissing"): During the weekend, Aiden and Jayden take a silly, slow-motion video of themselves jumping. They edit it to add a caption that says, "Having the BEST time without the baby who can't do flips!" and send it directly to Jamal's device.
Impact: While seemingly "small," this is a classic case of using digital tools (a private group chat and video messaging) to inflict relational harm. For Jamal, the bullying followed him home. He feels the hurt not just from being left out, but from the targeted, mocking message that arrived in his personal space.
Scenario 2: Middle School (Grade 8) – The Fake Social Media Account
The Situation: Madison has a falling out with her former best friend, Chloe. After an argument at school, Chloe is angry and wants to get back at Madison.
The Escalation and Forms of Bullying:
Impersonation and Denigration: Chloe creates a fake Instagram account using Madison's full name and a photo of her from the school website. She uses the account to follow Madison's classmates and begins posting cruel, fabricated secrets, like "I still wet the bed sometimes" and "I cheated on the math test."
Harassment and Public Shaming: Chloe uses the fake account to leave nasty comments on Madison's real posts and those of her new friends, trying to turn people against her ("No one actually likes you, they just feel sorry for you").
Impact: This attack is multifaceted and designed for maximum social damage. The impersonation is deeply violating, the rumours are crafted to humiliate, and the public comments weaponize Madison's own social network against her. The evidence is visible to her entire peer group, amplifying the shame and making the bullying inescapable.
Scenario 3: High School (Grade 11) – The Manipulated Media and Threats
The Situation: Grace, a Grade 11 student, rejects a romantic advance from a classmate, Jordan. Jordan becomes hostile.
The Escalation and Forms of Bullying:
Outing and Denigration: Jordan finds a childhood photo of Grace from a family post. Using editing software, they creatively alter the photo in a sexually explicit and humiliating way.
Public Shaming and Harassment: Jordan posts this manipulated image on a semi-public Discord server used by many students from several schools, with a malicious caption. They encourage others to "share the meme."
Cyberstalking and Threats: When Grace finds out and demands they take it down, Jordan begins sending them direct, anonymous messages via an app: "You're finished at this school," and "I know where you live." The messages continue late into the night.
Impact: This represents a severe escalation into potential criminal behaviour (non-consensual distribution of intimate images and uttering threats). The harm is permanent (the image may never be fully erased from the internet), pervasive (spread across school communities), and frightening (culminating in direct threats to safety). The psychological toll of this compounded victimization is profound.
Key Takeaways from the Scenarios
The Tools Evolve: From kid-friendly apps to mainstream social media to anonymous platforms and image-editing software, the methods become more sophisticated with age.
The Harm Amplifies: The impact grows from personal hurt (exclusion) to social reputation damage (fake accounts) to severe psychological trauma and safety concerns (manipulated media and threats).
The "Pervasive" Nature is Constant: In every scenario, the bullying invaded the target's home and personal life, demonstrating that there is no true offline escape.
How is Cyberbullying Different?
Cyberbullying's unique features make it particularly challenging:
It is pervasive and inescapable: It can happen 24/7, reaching a young person at home, in their bedroom—anywhere they have a device. There is no safe haven.
It is permanent and public: Hurtful posts, images, or messages can be saved, shared, and viewed by a vast, unseen audience, creating a lasting digital record.
It is anonymous and disinhibited: Perpetrators can hide behind screen names, making them harder to identify and sometimes more likely to say things they wouldn't face-to-face.
It is harder for adults to see: Unlike a playground incident, cyberbullying happens on private devices and platforms, making it difficult for parents and teachers to witness.
The core dynamics of power and aggression are the same, but cyberbullying leverages technology to magnify harm in specific ways. These scenarios highlight its pervasive, permanent, public, and anonymous nature.
Scenario 1: Primary School - The 24/7 Playground
In-Person Bullying: At school, Xavier is teased by a classmate during a single art period for his drawing. The incident is confined to that time and place. When the bell rings, it's over.
Cyberbullying Difference: PERVASIVE. That evening, Xavier gets a notification on his family's shared tablet. The classmate has posted a photo of Xavier's drawing in a class-wide learning app with the comment, "Look at Xavier's baby drawing LOL." Other students start adding laughing emoji reactions.
The Impact: The bullying didn't stop at 3 PM. It invaded Xavier's home, a place where he should feel safe. He now associates the learning app—a tool for education—with anxiety and shame. There is no escape; the digital space extends the schoolyard indefinitely.
Scenario 2: Middle School - The Permanent Yearbook
In-Person Bullying: In the cafeteria, Logan has an embarrassing moment where she spills her drink. A few people see it, laugh, and by the next day, most have forgotten.
Cyberbullying Difference: PERMANENT and PUBLIC. Someone records the spill on their phone. That weekend, they edit it into a exaggerated, slow-motion "fail" video, add a humiliating soundtrack and caption ("Logan's Epic Fail Compilation"), and post it to a public TikTok account tagged with their school's name.
The Impact: Instead of a fleeting moment witnessed by a few, the incident is now a permanent digital record that can be searched, viewed, and shared by hundreds, including people Logan doesn't know. It becomes a defining, public meme that could resurface for years, affecting her social life long after middle school ends. She has no control over its spread.
Scenario 3: High School - The Anonymous Attacker
In-Person Bullying: Izzy might have a tense confrontation with a peer in the hallway, where identities and social consequences are clear.
Cyberbullying Difference: ANONYMOUS and DISINHIBITED. Izzy begins receiving vicious, hateful messages on an anonymous messaging platform like Sendit on Instagram. The messages target their appearance, intelligence, and sexuality with extreme cruelty ("Everyone hates you. You should just disappear."). Because the sender is anonymous, they feel emboldened to say things they would never dare to say face-to-face.
The Impact: The anonymity creates a climate of fear and paranoia. Izzy doesn't know if the sender is one person or many, a stranger or a close friend. This ambiguity is psychologically torturous, eroding trust in their entire peer group. The disinhibition effect of hiding behind a screen leads to more extreme harassment than would likely occur in person.
The Impact on Mental Health
The mental health consequences of cyberbullying are severe and well-documented and lead to a significantly greater risk of:
Poor general mental health
Stress can also manifest physically, causing headaches, stomach aches, and sleep disturbances
Feelings of helplessness, shame, and isolation
Depression and anxiety
Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
Eating disorder symptoms
Lower self-esteem and social withdrawal
Important facts and stats about cyberbullying:
One-quarter of teens experience cyberbullying
Cybervictimization increases during adolescence and remains high among young adults in their early 20s. It then tapers off in the late 20s.
Most racialized groups had either similar or lower prevalence rates of cyberbullying compared to non-racialized and non-Indigenous youth. For example, 16% of the South Asian youth and 18% of Filipino youth said that they had experienced cyberbullying in the past year, much lower than the 27% of non-racialized, non-Indigenous youth who reported being victimized online.
First Nations youth (off-reserve) are at greater risk of cyberbullying than their non-Indigenous peers with 34% of First Nations youth reported being bullied online, compared to 24% of Non-Indigenous youth.
Those born in Canada had a higher likelihood of cyberbullying, compared to the immigrant youth population (26% versus 19%). This was seen for all forms of online victimization.
Having an education accommodation, such as an Individual Education Plan (IEP), Special Education Plan (SEP) or Inclusion and Intervention Plan (IIP), places youth at increased risk of cyberbullying. Overall, 27% of youth with some type of education accommodation for learning exceptionalities or special education needs were bullied online, compared to 23% of their peers without accommodation.
More frequent social networking, instant messaging use and online gaming had a strong association with an increased risk of cybervictimization. For instance, among youth who stated that they constantly use social networking, video and instant messaging or online gaming, about one-third (34%, 36% or 30% respectively) said that they had been cyberbullied in the past year.
Conversely, the proportion reporting cybervictimization drops to around 20% when social networking and video and instant messaging was used less than once a week (22%, 22%, and 24% respectively). The risk decreases even further to less than 15% when youth never utilized social networking or video and instant messaging apps
Increased internet usage, as well as using smart phones before bed and upon waking, are associated with an increased risk of being cyberbullied. About 27% of youth that used their electronic device before going to sleep were cyberbullied in the past year, compared to 19% who had not used their device before going to sleep. The increased risk was most often related to being threatened or insulted online or by text messages (18% versus 11% who had not used a device before going to sleep).
25% of young people aged 18 to 29 experienced some form of cybervictimization, with the most common being receiving unwanted sexually suggestive or explicit images or messages (15%) and aggressive or threatening emails, social media or text messages (13%).
Young women were more often the target of the online abuse, with a prevalence almost double the rate for young men (32% versus 17%). This gender difference was even more pronounced for receiving unwanted sexually suggestive or explicit material, where young women were almost three times as likely to be targeted (22% versus 8%).
LGBTQ2+ young adults were more likely than their non-LGBTQ2 counterparts to have experienced cybervictimization (49% versus 23%). Among the LGBTQ2+ population, the age group with the highest rates of cybervictimization are young adults aged 22 to 25 (at 58%).
Cybervictimized young adults often change their behaviour, both online—from blocking people and restricting their own access—and offline—such as carrying something for protection.
Cybervictimized young adults were also more likely to have experienced other forms of victimization such as being stalked and being physically or sexually assaulted.
Digital Safety Tips for Kids and Teens
Online Power-Up Rules
Stop, Screen, Share (The 3-S Rule)
STOP: If you see something mean, weird, or that makes you feel bad, stop interacting. Don't reply, like, or share it.
SCREEN: Take a screenshot! Make sure it shows the username, date, and what was said. This is your evidence.
SHARE: Tell a trusted adult (parent, teacher, coach) immediately. You won't be in trouble. This is the brave thing to do.
THINK Before You Post
Is it...
True?
Helpful?
Inspiring?
Necessary?
Kind?
If it's not, don't post it. Once it's online, it's like toothpaste—you can't get it all back in the tube.
Lock It Down!
Privacy: Set your social media accounts to PRIVATE. Only let real friends follow you.
Passwords: Make them strong (mix letters, numbers, symbols). Never share them, not even with your best friend.
Location: Turn OFF location tagging/sharing on your social media posts and in app settings.
Spot the Red Flags
A message or post might be toxic if it...
Makes you feel sad, angry, scared, or embarrassed.
Asks you to keep a secret from your parents or friends.
Pressures you to send pictures or personal info.
Comes from someone you don't know in real life.
Spreads rumors or gossip about someone.
Trust your gut. If it feels wrong, it probably is.
How to Handle Cyberbullies
If it's happening TO YOU...
Don't fight back. Replying can make it worse.
Block and Report. Use the app's tools to block the person and report the content.
Don't delete the evidence. Save the screenshots first!
Tell an adult you trust. A parent, teacher, or school counsellor can help you make it stop.
If you SEE it happening to someone else... Be an UPSTANDER!
Don't be a passive bystander. Liking or sharing mean stuff makes it worse.
Show support privately. Message the person being bullied: "That wasn't cool. I'm here for you."
Report it. You can report hurtful content on the app, even if it's not aimed at you.
Get help. Tell a trusted adult what you saw.
Getting Help is Smart, Not Weak
You are not alone. Talking about it is the first step to making it better.
Talk to: A parent, family member, teacher, school counsellor, or coach.
Connect with: One Stop Talk, a free, confidential service that lets children and youth under 18 years of age get immediate mental health support with a registered therapist. Call 1 855 416 TALK (8255) or connect online from anywhere in Ontario
Bullying Canada: Get specialized support anytime.
Text: 1-877-352-4497
Live Chat at BullyingCanada.ca
Be a Leader, Not a Follower
Use your power for good. Post positive comments, stand up for others, and share cool stuff.
Curate your space. It's okay to unfollow or mute accounts that make you feel bad. Your feed should be yours.
Log off sometimes. The best parts of life happen offline. Make time for friends, hobbies, and just being you.
Remember: You control your device. Don't let it control you.
A Parent’s Action Plan: Prevention, Response, and Support
Parents play a critical role as guides and allies.
Be Proactive
Start Early, Talk Often: Have ongoing, open conversations about online life, just as you would about their day at school. Ask, "What's your favourite app right now? Can you show me how it works?"
Set Clear Family Rules: Co-create a family media plan that covers acceptable screen time, appropriate apps, and privacy expectations. The goal is guidance, not just control.
Promote Critical Thinking: Discuss online risks like scams, fake news, and manipulated images. Teach them to question what they see and read online.
Age Based Conversation Starters
For Primary School (Ages 5-10)
"Can you show me your favorite game/app? What do you like about it?"
"Has anyone ever said something online that made you feel sad or confused?"
"Let's make a rule: if you see something upsetting or get a message from someone you don't know, we 'Stop, Screen, Share'—stop, screenshot it, and share it with me."
For Middle School (Ages 11-13)
"What's the group chat drama this week?" (Keep it light and curious).
"Have you seen anyone being mean or left out online? What did you do?"
"How do you decide who to follow and who to block? Let's check your privacy settings together."
For High School (Ages 14-18)
"I read about this new anonymous app—have people at school been using it? What's your take on it?"
"How do you handle the pressure to always be available or post perfect pictures?"
"If a friend shared an embarrassing photo of someone, what would you do? What if it was you in the photo?"
Proactive Safety Checklist
For All Ages:
Devices charged overnight outside the bedroom in a common area.
Privacy settings reviewed and set to "friends only" or stricter.
Location services turned off for social media apps.
Child knows how to block and report users on their main platforms.
Established a "no secrets" rule with a trusted adult about online interactions.
Age-Specific Agreements:
Primary: Co-create a list of approved apps/games. Use parental controls for app downloads.
Middle: Agree on screen time limits for weekdays vs. weekends. Follow each other on social media with a "no commenting" agreement.
High: Discuss digital reputation (how posts affect future jobs/university). Review the importance of not sharing passwords with friends/partners.
Red Flags: Signs of Cyberbullying
Be on the lookout for these signs:
Emotional: Seems upset, angry, or depressed after using their device. Withdraws from family.
Behavioral: Suddenly stops using devices or is overly secretive about them. Avoids school or social events.
Physical: Sleep patterns change (up all night or fatigued). Grades begin to drop unexpectedly.
Social: Loses interest in friends or mentions "drama" without details. Their name appears in social media posts you're not tagged in.
What to Do about Cyberbullying: The 4-Step Response Plan
1. DOCUMENT
Take clear screenshots showing the content, username, date, and URL.
Save all evidence in a dedicated folder, even if it's hurtful to see.
2. REPORT
On the Platform: Use the app's built-in reporting tools to report harassment, impersonation, or harmful content.
To the School: If it involves classmates, report to the school with your evidence. Ask for their cyberbullying policy and safety plan.
To Authorities: Contact local police if threats involve violence, sexual exploitation, stalking, or hate crimes.
3. SUPPORT
To Your Child: "This is not your fault. We will handle this together. Thank you for telling me."
Professional Help: Seek support from a mental health professional (like a counsellor, therapist, or psychologist) if you notice persistent signs that your child is struggling to cope, such as:
Significant changes in mood, sleep, or eating habits.
Withdrawal from family, friends, and activities they once enjoyed.
An intense fear of going to school or using their devices.
Expressions of hopelessness or talk of self-harm.
4. RESET and REINFORCE
Help your child block the individuals involved.
Review and tighten privacy settings together.
Revisit your family's digital safety rules.
Key Platform Reporting Links
Instagram: Settings > Help > Report a Problem
Snapchat: Tap and hold on content > ⚙️ > Report
TikTok: Share arrow > Report
Facebook: Click "..." on post > Find Support or Report Post
Discord: Right-click message > Report Message
Roblox: Use the "Report Abuse" feature in the menu
Google/Search: Request removal of sensitive personal information
The Goal is Guidance, Not Just Control
Your role evolves from gatekeeper (primary) to guide (middle school) to consultant (high school). The ultimate goal is to raise a digitally resilient young person who can navigate online spaces with critical thinking, empathy, and the confidence to seek help.
Remember: Open communication is your most powerful tool. You don't need to be a tech expert—you need to be a trusted ally.
Key Programs and National Resources
Canada has excellent evidence-based programs and support networks:
PREVNet: A national network of researchers and organizations providing cutting-edge resources, toolkits, and fact sheets for parents, youth, and educators.
WITS Programs: A proven primary prevention program used in schools across Canada to teach children in Kindergarten to Grade 6 peaceful conflict resolution strategies.
BullyingCanada: Offers 24/7 confidential support via text, chat, and phone at 1-877-352-4497. They provide tailored advocacy and can help mediate with schools.
Canadian Red Cross: Provides bullying prevention education, including the "Beyond the Hurt" program, which trains youth to deliver anti-bullying workshops to their peers.
Need Help Now (Cyberbullying): A Canadian resource for help with removing unwanted online content and emotional support.
Building Digital Resilience Together
Combating cyberbullying requires a shared commitment from youth, parents, educators, and platforms. By fostering empathy, critical thinking, and digital citizenship, we can help create an online world that reflects our values of respect and kindness. Open communication is the cornerstone—keep talking, keep listening, and ensure every young person knows they have the right to feel safe, both online and off.
If you or a young person you know is in crisis, please reach out for help:
One Stop Talk is a free, confidential service that lets children and youth under 18 years of age get immediate mental health support with a registered therapist. Call 1 855 416 TALK (8255) or connect online from anywhere in Ontario
Kids Help Phone: Call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868.
Talk Suicide Canada: Call or text 1-833-456-4566 (24/7).
If your child or youth is experiencing a mental health crisis, please call 9-1-1 or COAST (905) 972-8338 or visit McMaster Children’s Hospital: Child and Youth Mental Health Emergency Services (CHYMES).
REFERENCES / SOURCES:
Statistics Canada Cybervictimization and mental health among Canadian youth
Public Health Agency of Canada The Health of Canada’s Young People: a mental health focus- Bullying and fighting
Mental Health Research Canada Associations Between Social Media Use, Personal Screen Time, and Cybervictimization
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Bullying and Cyberbullying
