What to do if cyberbullying is detected?
We understand " cyberbullying detection" as the identification of specific forms of abuse between individuals whose relationship originated in an educational setting and which is expressed through digital channels. Beyond labels, we must recognize that not all online violence is cyberbullying . However, online violence is always considered ongoing due to its 24/7 accessibility and, therefore, is always a form of abuse. In any case, the analysis should focus on the facts, the roles involved, the channels used, and the specific acts of violence in the conflict. Support should also be provided in situations where the initial perception may be distorted , for example, when someone claiming to be the victim is actually acting as the aggressor.
The detection of a case, as everyone's responsibility, can originate from the direct observation of the manifestation of the problem on the network or from symptoms such as sudden changes in behavior . When this happens, we generally see indicators that something is wrong. Faced with such an alert, our observation should be guided by an intention to understand. We should pay attention to variables such as self-concept, perceived stress, depressive attitudes accompanied by feelings of sadness like loneliness or boredom, social anxiety, life satisfaction levels, and how emotional intelligence is being used.
In this observation, which has a diagnostic tone, tools that measure the climate and relationships both in the classroom and in the digital environment can help us. All the information we can gather will help us plan an intervention that responds to the characteristics and particularities of the specific case .
Tools for understanding the classroom climate
Some tools for understanding these alerts, which also serve as examples of best practices, include B-resol ( an anonymous system for communication, support, and follow-up of potential cases ) and the Órbita Platform ( a sociogram that provides a map of group/class relationships and identifies positive and negative dynamics ). Both resources have received the PDA Bullying best practice certification . Other options include implementing dynamics and methodologies such as talking circles or experiential activities that create spaces for reflection and openness with students —actions that ultimately aim to guide intervention by understanding not only the current state of digital relationships but, above all, what is happening in person.
An app to fight cyberbullying
We would also like to share that it is very important to avoid a potential mistake: applying preventative measures only when there are already indications of a possible case , as this can be counterproductive. When a case is confirmed, it is time to be decisive and focus on the response.
Next, after having gathered the information that helps us understand the possible case of cyberbullying , another idea to keep in mind is that the center's responsibility for intervention is maximum .
Although it occurs online, the primary concern should be the impact on the coexistence of the groups, the resolution of which is the responsibility of the center. This responsibility also extends to all professionals, services, and facilities that provide support during any phase of the protocol, including those that are not part of the center but rather part of the local community (community action) .
Having a protocol for prevention, detection and action regarding cyberbullying
It is clear that we must act according to the protocol established by the school , generally determined by the local area or education department. However, regardless of the origin of this protocol, the important thing is that it addresses three key stages:prevention, detection, and action or intervention . Schools should be able to adapt these local protocols to their own context and strive to connect the proposed actions with the realities of the educational community they serve and the training of the staff . All of this should be done while keeping in mind that if the school's own resources are insufficient, it is always possible to seek help from external agencies .
We have observed that some schools do have a specific protocol regarding cyberbullying , often associated with guides or educational resources for prevention . However, in general, it is usually viewed as just another form of harassment, or simply as a section dedicated to the digital channel or environment. We believe that these materials and guides, which provide specific resources for responding to cyberbullying, have become quite outdated (the most relevant references are from 2010 and 2014 ), especially in such a rapidly changing environment. A few years ago, most young people were on Facebook and Tuenti, and now they are on Instagram and TikTok; instant messaging tools like Snapchat become fashionable and then, within a few months, fall into oblivion or are replaced by new ones, and so on. We are facing a challenge that presents a clear need for review and updating of content and specific proposals for the digital sphere, which, moreover, must be maintained continuously over time ; it cannot be something static or a one-off revision.
A candid look at bullying from the educational environment
With the intention of being able to evolve the digital approach of the centers, a key element that is being implemented in the centers is the Digital Center Plan or EDC (Digital Center Strategy, in Catalonia) , a compilation of all the actions that are carried out in an educational center to achieve the maximum digital competence of the educational community . In this work, strategies that link socio-emotional skills with the digital sphere are also key, since there are particularities regarding digital identity, the way of communicating and interacting on the network, the dependence on likes , the immediacy of messages and the impulsiveness typical of minors when writing or reacting to certain stimuli, overexposure, hypersexualization, hate messages and haters , the normalization of violence, depersonalization , anonymity, the sense of online friendship in relation to followers on social networks, the proliferation of rumors, identity theft, the pressure generated by having to be present and active at all times, and a long etcetera, which make it more than necessary to work towards the development of personal skills that accompany knowing how to live, not only knowing how to relate on the Internet.
In short, it is necessary to focus on preventive work with children and young people with a shared strategy that addresses, for example, directly the self-concept and self-esteem of minors or training in emotional education and media literacy of these minors and also of families and educators .
What can families do when they detect cyberbullying ?
In the case of families, we perceive that they are generally quite lost , especially when faced with a case of cyberbullying where the consequences go viral. When they ask us, they want to know what they can do . Some choose to report it directly, others want resources to activate the school when they feel they aren't receiving the response they need to the problem, and still others focus on ensuring the well-being of their son or daughter in the role of victim .
Regarding legal measures, if you decide to file a report, in addition to going to any police station, you can also use the Alertcops app (National Police and Civil Guard) . In Catalonia, when the situation requires an urgent response from law enforcement, you can also contact the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Police) or call 112 for urgent matters . If you choose to file a report, which generally shouldn't be the first option, it's important to keep in mind that you need to have legally admissible evidence.
- Medical expert reports on the condition of the person in the role of victim
- Copies of emails received
- Recordings of conversations in both audio and video
- Photographs
- Screenshots from WhatsApp or other instant messaging applications
- Testimony from other classmates, teachers, family members, etc.
Some applications like DAS Cyberbullying (Proof Up) help with this purpose.
The official helpline and reporting service of the Ministries of Education and Culture is he The helpline against school bullying is 900 018 018. If the case involves online bullying ( cyberbullying ), you can also contact theIS4K cybersecurity helpline - Internet Segura For Kids - (Tel. 017), managed by INCIBE (National Cybersecurity Institute) . In the sports field (which also becomes educational), there is a helpline against violence in sports , managed nationwide by WATS Team, with the support of Euskaltel (Tel. +34 688 65 50 99).
In Catalonia, it is proposed to carry out this communication with the competent administration (to make known possible cases in schools) through the application UsApps (aimed mainly at students but also at families and the educational community) or through the telephone 116 111 Childhood responds of the General Directorate of Attention to Childhood and Adolescence (DGAIA) .
It is true that social media platforms have their own systems for reporting and removing offensive content. However, if it becomes necessary to remove any sensitive content related to the case from the internet, this can also be requested through the Spanish Data Protection Agency's (AEPD) priority channel for the removal of sensitive content .
When it comes to activating the school system, many families complain that they don't feel heard or that they don't receive the necessary responses from the administration to resolve the issue. This may be because the school doesn't always have sufficient resources and, therefore, also needs support . It's essential to connect them with leading organizations that can offer external support when intervening in cases . At the PDA Bullying Collaborative Platform , we strive to provide this institutional support ; we know how to help them and we have the tools to enable them to do better . Ultimately, it's not about preventing cyberbullying ; it's about ensuring that, if it exists, we are able to respond effectively.
The fact that the protocol is not activated on many occasions is due to errors in classifying a possible case, specifically in the definition of educational needs and the work plan.
The school must be aware that, even if it is not classified as bullying or cyberbullying , it must intervene in any type of violence or mistreatment. To ensure this intervention, the school can contact the Education Inspectorate , the Ombudsman , or the Catalan Ombudsman , depending on the region.
From the communications we receive, we confirm that interest often comes more from the family of the victim; we rarely find that families with sons or daughters in the role of spectator or aggressor are mobilized.
Perhaps we haven't fully grasped that cyberbullying is also a problem that affects the entire group . If we saw it that way, families might become much more involved in the group's well-being and be more proactive about it.
Addressing the issue of coexistence for all from an early age would make these problems less reactive when children reach adolescence and develop inappropriate digital usage and consumption habits. This focus on the well-being of everyone is a matter of fostering a school culture that should be encouraged by the educational community.
In fact, one way to foster an empowering perspective on addressing this type of peer abuse is through training programs . Thanks to online formats, which emerged primarily during the pandemic and seem here to stay, these programs have become a valuable tool for promoting this collaborative approach. In-person training sessions with families weren't very effective due to low attendance; however, online formats have been more receptive and responsive, offering greater flexibility, the convenience of remote access, and better adaptation to schedules. What we still need, the challenge, remains a more continuous training program , not just one-off events.
Promote reflection
Beyond the response from the center, it's important that families also take action to stay strong, healthy, and at peace during this process (a time when violence and abuse are present) . A family experiencing violence needs help (who wouldn't?). It's crucial to remember that the most important thing is to nurture mental and emotional health to cope with vulnerable moments like these, for example, by meeting with a mental health professional or a trusted adult (educator or family member). The idea is to share and define personal goals. It's not just about what others are doing, but also about how you yourself feel better, as peaceful and strong as possible, to continue growing happily. Concepts like happiness and digital well-being are increasingly discussed. In fact, there are communities of those affected, like Feliz sin Bullying (Happy Without Bullying ), that help overcome bullying through personal development, building self-esteem, and emotional education .
Let's not forget that the main victims are children, and that our responsibility as adults is to help them break free from the dysfunctional roles they find themselves in, as well as to secure a commitment to non-repetition. We must avoid perpetuating these roles by empowering young people to decide what role they want to play , rather than being forced into the role they've been assigned. Those who have been placed in the role of victim must be encouraged to avoid revictimization or adopting the role of aggressor as a defense mechanism . But we must also help those who play the role of aggressor understand their motivations, the root of the problem that leads to this anger, frustration, or poorly managed aggression, so that it's not used as an excuse to identify them with violent behavior, but rather, to help them address their pain ( not criminalizing them, but encouraging reflection on their actions ).
Cyberbullying typically involves a group dynamic where more than one person acts as a bully, and it spreads through social contagion . Online, this behavior is becoming increasingly common and normalized.Finding amusement at the expense of others' pain. Media violence as a source of entertainment and the pursuit of pleasure in observing it . The solution lies in addressing and working on this as a group (engaging students who are currently spectators) , striving for positive coexistence, including online, by stopping the violence and helping to protect everyone involved . It is necessary to promote resolution strategies such as restorative techniques , but applied effectively; a "forced forgiveness" is not enough; it must be a "real and heartfelt forgiveness" that helps repair the pain and restore well-being by healing emotional wounds, taking into account the particularities of the digital sphere, where the degree of exposure is much greater and where any action risks being magnified by the amplifying effect of the internet. Comforting and encouraging words can be very helpful and contribute to the social contagion we mentioned, supporting well-being. Interactions with other users are part of our digital identity, and therefore, this process also involves reconstructing it, thanks to self-awareness of our digital self and managing the emotions generated by these interactions online . It also includes understanding the tools and features available to protect our privacy and manage comments, blocking profiles , and so on.
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