Recent cyberbullying statistics paint a troubling picture of what American teenagers face today. The numbers show 26.5% of teens became victims of cyberbullying in 2023, up from 23.2% in 2021. Parents now battle a growing digital threat, as almost half (46%) of U.S. teens say they've faced some form of cyberbullying.
The reality of cyberbullying grows more concerning each year. About 42% of kids have faced online bullying, and one in four has experienced it multiple times. These numbers hit close to home, especially since 19.2% of American teenagers now skip school because of online harassment. This figure has almost doubled from 10.3% in 2016.
This piece dives into the most alarming cyberbullying stats of 2025. You'll learn how different teen groups face this challenge, where harassment happens most often, and what it means for their mental health and education.
The stakes are high for parents who need to protect their kids in today's digital world. This becomes even more crucial since 74% of U.S. teens feel social media platforms don't deal very well with these issues.
The most shocking cyberbullying stats of 2025
Recent research shows a troubling picture of cyberbullying's spread among young people. The Cyberbullying Research Center's tracking from 2016 to 2025 shows online harassment has grown substantially, with lifetime victimization climbing from 33.6% to 58.2%. Parents and educators just need to act now.
1. 26.5% of teens report being cyberbullied in the last 30 days
One in four American teenagers has faced cyberbullying in the last month, based on recent data. The numbers keep rising – from 23.2% in 2021 and 16.7% in 2016. The 30-day victimization rate has shot up from 16.5% in 2016 to 32.7% in 2025. This rise matches teens' increasing screen time and social media use.
2. 77.5% of victims faced mean or hurtful comments
Mean or hurtful online comments remain the most common type of cyberbullying, affecting more than three in four victims. Other common forms include:
- Spreading rumors online (70.4%)
- Embarrassment or humiliation (69.1%)
- Intentional exclusion from group chats (66.4%)
- Repeated unwanted contact after asking to stop (55.5%)
These numbers show cyberbullying takes many forms and often happens at once, making the harm worse for victims.
3. 19.2% of teens skipped school due to online harassment
Cyberbullying hits education hard. About one-fifth of American teenagers miss school because of online harassment.
This number has nearly doubled from 10.3% in 2016. Barboza's research links cyberbullying to escape behaviors in school, including unexcused absences. A year-long study found that both bullies and victims showed more absences and worse grades.
4. 42% of LGBTQ+ teens were targeted online
LGBTQ+ youth face much more targeting online, with 42% experiencing cyberbullying. Yes, it is concerning that over half (52%) of LGBTQ youth in middle or high school reported bullying, either in person or online, last year. LGBTQ+ students were bullied or harassed online almost three times more than their heterosexual peers (42% vs. 15%).
This harassment leads to lower self-esteem and higher depression rates among these vulnerable teens.
5. Girls aged 15–17 are the most affected group
Older teenage girls take the hardest hit from cyberbullying. About 54% of girls aged 15-17 report incidents compared to 41% of younger teens aged 13-14. Female teens report higher rates of cyberbullying than males.
Girls are also more likely to experience cyberbullying in their lifetime (59.2%) compared to boys (49.5%). School surveys show nearly twice as many girls (27.7%) as boys (14.1%) report online or text bullying.
6. 21% of Black teens were bullied due to race
Race-based cyberbullying shows troubling patterns. About 21% of Black teenagers report being bullied specifically for their race and ethnicity. This compares to 4% of White teens and 11% of Hispanic teens facing similar harassment.
Black middle-school cyberbullying victims are 135% more likely to think about and plan suicide than non-victims. This racial aspect adds another layer to an already complex issue that needs targeted solutions.
How cyberbullying affects different groups of teens
Cyberbullying affects teens differently based on their gender, age, race, and sexual orientation. Parents need to know which teens face higher risks and need extra support.
Gender differences in victimization
Online harassment shows clear differences between genders. The COVID-19 pandemic brought unexpected changes – girls started cyberbullying more than boys, unlike before the pandemic. Recent data shows that girls still face more cyberbullying than boys overall.
Teenage girls face higher risks, especially older ones. The harassment they experience follows specific patterns:
- They're more likely to be targets of false rumors
- Girls between 15-17 years old deal with more stalking from non-parents
- They experience multiple types of harassment more often – 32% face two or more types compared to 24% of boys
Parental controls help protect boys from cyberbullying, both before and during the pandemic. This protection works by limiting their online time.
Age-based trends in cyberbullying
Middle school years see the highest rates of cyberbullying. Most victims are between 12-15 years old, with cases dropping as teens get older. Boys show a steady increase in bullying others as they age, while girls peak around age 13.
Middle schoolers report more cyberbullying (65%) than high school students (49%). Older teens (15-17) face different challenges than younger ones (13-14). They receive more unwanted explicit images (22% vs. 11%) and experience more stalking (17% vs. 12%).
Ethnic disparities in online abuse
Race plays a complex role in cyberbullying patterns. White and multiracial youth experience more cyberbullying (25.8% and 29.1%). Hispanic and Black youth report lower rates than their peers.
Black teens face more race-based harassment even with lower overall numbers. About 21% of Black teenagers get cyberbullied because of their race or ethnicity, compared to 4% of White teens and 11% of Hispanic teens. Teens from families earning less than $75,000 yearly face twice as much cyberbullying as those from wealthier homes (22% vs. 11%).
Research shows Hispanic, Black, and Asian girls report less traditional and cyberbullying than White girls. Boys show similar patterns.
Cyberbullying among LGBTQ+ youth
LGBTQ+ youth face more online targeting than their peers. Most LGBTQ students (52%) in middle or high school report bullying, either in person or online, within the past year. Online bullying affects 42% of these students.
Some LGBTQ+ groups face even greater challenges. Transgender and nonbinary students (61%) experience more bullying than cisgender LGBQ students (45%). Online bullying (42%) happens more often than in-person bullying (33%) for LGBTQ+ youth.
These attacks have serious effects. LGBTQ students who face bullying are three times more likely to attempt suicide. Among transgender and nonbinary youth, 32% of bullying victims attempt suicide compared to 14% of those who aren't bullied.
Where and how cyberbullying happens
Cyberbullying exists in almost every digital space where teens spend time. About 95% of American teens use the internet, and most connect through their mobile devices. Parents need to know where and how this harassment happens to spot potential dangers in their children's online activities.
Most common platforms: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
The digital world has several cyberbullying hotspots. YouTube tops the list, which surprises many parents, as 79% of kids say they've faced bullying on the platform. Snapchat comes in second at 69%, TikTok at 64%, and Facebook at 49%. Some studies paint a different picture and show Facebook as the biggest problem, with 75% of cyberbullying cases happening there.
Instagram creates its own set of problems with 42% of young people saying they've been harassed on the platform. More than one in five teens between 12-20 years say bullies target them specifically on Instagram. TikTok's "duet" feature gives bullies new ways to harass others through "hate duets" – they create side-by-side videos with violent or harassing content.
Top forms of cyberbullying: name-calling, rumors, exclusion
Name-calling stands out as the most common form of cyberbullying at 37% of all harassment cases. Bullies use several common methods:
- Flaming: online fights using angry and vulgar language
- Denigration: posting cruel gossip or rumors
- Impersonation: pretending to be someone else online
- Exclusion: leaving someone out of online groups
The numbers are concerning – 70% of teenagers say others have spread rumors about them online. Bullies also use harassment, cyberstalking, sharing private information, and trickery. Digital anonymity often makes these actions worse.
Chatrooms and group texts as hotspots
Chatrooms have become breeding grounds for digital harassment. About 56% of U.S. cyberbullying victims face harassment in these spaces. Group chats worry 85% of parents who have children between 11-13 years old.
Group chats with three or more people often turn into spaces for exclusion, victimization, and ridicule. These private conversations make it hard for parents to keep track of what's happening. WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, Discord, and Facebook Messenger are the most common group chat platforms.
Bullies in group chats often invite victims to see hurtful comments about themselves. They also harass others by repeatedly adding someone back who has left the chat. Even bystanders who see but don't report cyberbullying become part of the problem.
The real-world impact on teen mental health and education
Cyberbullying statistics paint a grim picture of how teens suffer psychologically and academically. The damage runs deeper than short-term stress and leaves lasting scars that affect how teenagers grow and develop.
Link to anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts
Research shows cyberbullying takes a heavy psychological toll. Victims report more symptoms of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and suicidal behavior.
The numbers are alarming – teens who face cyberbullying are almost twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to their peers. A staggering 93% of victims say they struggle emotionally, mostly with sadness, hopelessness, and feeling powerless.
The data speaks volumes – 32% of targeted teens show at least one stress symptom. The damage runs deep as 38% of victims say they feel "extremely upset" after online attacks. What makes this worse is that half the victims don't know who's attacking them, which leads to more fear and anxiety.
School absenteeism and academic decline
Online harassment hits students' education hard. About 26.3% of students say their grades suffer because of cyberbullying. The situation gets so bad that 20% want to switch schools.
The numbers tell a sad story – 41% of victims become less active in class, 24% see their grades drop, and 35% have failed a grade since becoming targets. These students struggle to focus, do poor work, and lose interest in learning. The message is clear – cyberbullying sets off a chain reaction that can destroy a student's academic future.
Eating disorders and body image issues
The mix of social media and cyberbullying creates a perfect storm for body image problems. Girls face three times higher risk of developing eating disorders by age 15. Bullied teens often turn to dangerous ways to control their weight – over half of teenage girls and a third of boys try unhealthy methods.
Harvard researchers point out that photo-based social media platforms make body image issues worse. Teens who see unrealistic beauty standards often try extreme diets or follow harmful trends. The mental scars from cyberbullying can lead to eating disorders, which kill more people than any mental illness except opioid addiction.
Why parents need to act now
Parents face a critical disconnect in their understanding of cyberbullying today. Research shows that two-thirds of teens believe their parents handle online bullying well. This positive feedback masks a troubling reality where parents don't grasp their children's actual exposure.
Low parental awareness vs. high teen exposure
Parents either undervalue or overvalue their children's cyberbullying involvement. They rely too much on what their kids tell them about staying safe. A dangerous blind spot exists since 95% of teenagers use social media platforms actively.
Most parents don't know much about their children's daily social platforms or their specific dangers. The peak hours of cyberbullying happen right after school ends and before parents get home. This creates a window where kids remain vulnerable without supervision.
Teens' viewpoint on ineffective adult responses
Teens who face cyberbullying have much darker opinions about how adults handle these situations. These victims are twice as likely to say parents don't deal very well with online harassment compared to their non-bullied friends.
Bullied teens say adults often minimize cyberbullying's seriousness. Some feel hurt when adults include the bully's side of the story. The situation gets worse when adults step in without asking how teens feel first.
What parents can do to help
Better parental support directly associates with less cyberbullying. Parents who want to help should learn about their children's tech platforms. They need to set reasonable boundaries without excessive monitoring.
Creating safe spaces where kids can talk about their problems works well. Half of all teens surveyed think permanent bans for cyberbullies would make a big difference. Parents must find the sweet spot between guidance and freedom—they should teach resilience while keeping their children safe.
Conclusion
More than one in four American teenagers face cyberbullying, a digital threat that grows more severe each year. This piece reveals how online harassment hits certain groups harder than others.
Older teenage girls, LGBTQ+ youth, and racial minorities bear the brunt of targeted abuse. These aren't mere statistics – they show the real psychological damage and educational disruption our children endure.
The evidence paints a clear picture: cyberbullying thrives on almost every digital platform teens use daily. Harmful behaviors like name-calling, rumor-spreading, and social exclusion run rampant on YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. Private group chats have turned into danger zones where harassment often stays hidden from adults.
Online attacks leave lasting scars that go way beyond temporary distress. Victims struggle with substantially higher risks of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Their grades often drop as nearly one-fifth of bullied teens avoid school because of online harassment—almost twice the number since 2016. Teen girls face an added burden as cyberbullying often leads to eating disorders and body image problems.
Many parents don't know what their children face online. This knowledge gap creates dangerous blind spots, especially during those risky after-school hours when cyberbullying peaks. Of course, teens who deal with harassment feel adults don't support them enough, which shows we need better ways to help.
Parents can't afford to wait. Studies show that strong parental support helps reduce bullying incidents. You can protect your kids by learning about their social platforms, setting smart boundaries without hovering, and creating an environment where they feel safe to share their problems.
The digital world brings new challenges, but these active steps can safeguard your child's mental health and school success.
We've moved past the time for just worry. Parents must see cyberbullying as the serious threat it is and take real action to protect their children. We need to promote stronger platform policies and push schools to tackle this growing issue. Most importantly, we must listen to our teens and give them the support and tools they need to stay safe online.
FAQs
Q1. How prevalent is cyberbullying among teenagers?
Recent statistics show that 26.5% of American teenagers reported being cyberbullied in the last 30 days, with nearly half of U.S. teens experiencing at least one form of cyberbullying behavior.
Q2. Which social media platforms are most associated with cyberbullying?
While cyberbullying occurs across various platforms, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook are among the most common sites where teens experience online harassment.
Q3. How does cyberbullying affect a teen's education?
Cyberbullying can significantly impact a teen's education, with 19.2% of American teenagers missing school days due to online harassment. Additionally, 26.3% of students report that their academic performance suffers as a result of cyberbullying.
Q4. Are certain groups of teens more vulnerable to cyberbullying?
Yes, certain groups face higher risks of cyberbullying. For instance, 42% of LGBTQ+ teens report being targeted online, and girls aged 15-17 are the most affected group overall.
Q5. What can parents do to help prevent cyberbullying?
Parents can help by becoming familiar with the digital platforms their children use, setting reasonable boundaries, and establishing open communication channels where teens feel safe reporting problems. Increased parental support has been shown to directly correlate with reduced cyberbullying victimization.
