Cyberbullying vs. Traditional Bullying: What Parents Should Know in 2025

When we think of bullying stories like “Outnumbered,” where Jack faces physical intimidation and exclusion at school, we picture face-to-face confrontations in hallways and on playgrounds. But in 2025, bullying has expanded far beyond the schoolyard. Today’s children face harassment that follows them home through their devices, appears on multiple platforms, and reaches audiences far larger than any school cafeteria.

Understanding the differences—and similarities—between cyberbullying and traditional bullying is essential for protecting your child in today’s digital world.

Defining Each Type

Traditional Bullying

Traditional or “conventional” bullying involves face-to-face interactions where a person with more power (physical, social, or situational) repeatedly harms someone with less power.

Common forms:

• Physical: Hitting, pushing, taking belongings, physical intimidation
• Verbal: Name-calling, teasing, threats, insults
• Social/Relational: Exclusion, spreading rumors face-to-face, social manipulation, public humiliation
• Sexual: Unwanted touching, inappropriate comments, sexual harassment

Typical locations:

• School hallways and classrooms
• Playground or sports fields
• School bus
• Bathrooms and locker rooms
• Walking to/from school
• Neighborhood or community spaces

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is bullying that occurs through digital devices and online platforms. It includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else.

Common forms:

• Harassment: Sending offensive, rude, or insulting messages repeatedly
• Denigration: Posting or sharing harmful, false, or cruel statements about someone
• Impersonation: Pretending to be someone else to damage their reputation
• Outing: Sharing someone’s private information, photos, or secrets publicly
• Exclusion: Deliberately excluding someone from online groups or activities
• Cyberstalking: Repeated, intense harassment that creates fear
• Doxxing: Publishing private information (address, phone number) without consent
• Creating hate pages or groups targeting an individual

Typical platforms (2025):

• Social media (Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, BeReal, etc.)
• Gaming platforms and voice chat (Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, Discord)
• Messaging apps (WhatsApp, iMessage, Telegram)
• Comment sections and forums
• Email
• AI-generated deepfakes and manipulated images/videos (emerging concern)

Key Differences That Matter

1. Permanence and Reach

Traditional Bullying:

• Typically witnessed by a limited number of people
• Memories fade over time
• Ends when the situation ends (after school, at home)
• Geographic limitations

Cyberbullying:

• Content can be shared with unlimited audiences instantly
• Screenshots preserve everything permanently
• “Digital footprint” can last forever
• Can go viral, reaching thousands or millions
• Can resurface years later

Why it matters: A humiliating photo or message shared online can be seen by entire schools, communities, or beyond. The inability to escape or erase it significantly increases psychological harm.

2. Anonymity and Disinhibition

Traditional Bullying:

• Bully’s identity is usually known
• Face-to-face accountability
• Social consequences are immediate and visible
• Physical presence provides some social constraints

Cyberbullying:

• Bullies can hide behind anonymous accounts or fake profiles
• No face-to-face accountability
• “Online disinhibition effect”: people say things online they wouldn’t say in person
• Distance from the victim reduces empathy
• Less fear of consequences

Why it matters: Anonymity emboldens bullies to be crueler. Victims often don’t know who’s attacking them, increasing feelings of paranoia and helplessness. Multiple people can gang up behind anonymous accounts.

3. Time and Space

Traditional Bullying:

• Confined to specific times and places
• Child can escape by going home
• Usually occurs during school hours
• Weekends and summers offer respite
• Physical separation provides relief

Cyberbullying:

• 24/7 access to victims
• Follows children home, into their bedrooms
• No escape or safe space
• Can happen during holidays, weekends, any time
• Constant notification alerts keep trauma active

Why it matters: Children can’t recover or decompress when harassment is constant. The home—traditionally a safe space—becomes invaded. Sleep, family time, and relaxation are disrupted.

4. Adult Awareness

Traditional Bullying:

• Adults may witness incidents
• Physical signs (bruises, damaged belongings) are visible
• Other kids might tell adults
• Behavioral changes occur in observable contexts
• Teachers and bus drivers may see patterns

Cyberbullying:

• Often hidden from adults
• Occurs on private accounts and messages
• Children hesitant to show parents (fear of losing device privileges)
• Few visible physical signs
• Adults often lack digital literacy to recognize it
• Children skilled at hiding digital activity

Why it matters: Cyberbullying can escalate severely before any adult becomes aware. By the time parents discover it, significant psychological damage may have occurred.

5. Evidence Documentation

Traditional Bullying:

• Often “he said/she said” situations
• Limited witnesses or physical evidence
• Harder to prove patterns over time
• Memories and details fade
• Video evidence is rare

Cyberbullying:

• Digital evidence can be preserved (screenshots, messages, videos)
• Clear documentation of what was said and when
• Easier to demonstrate patterns and severity
• Time-stamped records
• Multiple pieces of evidence

Why it matters: While this helps with accountability and school/legal action, it also means victims must revisit and preserve their trauma. However, documentation is crucial for intervention.

6. Bystander Dynamics

Traditional Bullying:

• Limited audience witnesses in real-time
• Bystanders must be physically present
• Social risk of intervening is immediate and visible
• Group dynamics happen in person

Cyberbullying:

• Massive passive audiences (everyone who sees but doesn’t report)
• Bystanders view from safety of their devices
• Easy to join in with a click (like, share, comment)
• Lower perceived risk of participation
• Harder to identify and count bystanders
• “Piling on” effect—many people join mob behavior

Why it matters: Online, bystanders can become participants with a single click. The harm multiplies with each share or like. But they can also be upstanders by reporting and supporting privately.

Similarities Between Both Types

Despite differences, cyberbullying and traditional bullying share core characteristics:

Power Imbalance

Both involve one person or group with more power targeting someone with less. Online, power might be:

• Technical skill
• Social media following
• Anonymity
• Access to private information

Intent to Harm

Both are deliberate acts intended to hurt, humiliate, or intimidate.

Repetition

Classic bullying definitions require repetition. In cyberbullying, a single post can be shared repeatedly, creating ongoing harm even without additional actions by the original bully.

Psychological Impact

Both cause:

• Anxiety and depression
• Low self-esteem
• Academic decline
• Sleep problems
• Social withdrawal
• In severe cases, self-harm or suicidal thoughts

Often Interconnected

In 2025, these aren’t separate phenomena—they’re intertwined:

• Traditional bullying is often filmed and posted online
• Cyberbullying discussions happen face-to-face at school
• Online conflicts spill into real-world confrontations
• The same children are often involved in both

The 2025 Landscape: Emerging Concerns

AI and Deepfakes

New threat: Artificial intelligence can create realistic fake photos, videos, or voice recordings of anyone.

How it’s used for bullying:

• Creating fake nude images of classmates
• Making videos where someone appears to say things they didn’t
• Voice cloning for harassment
• Face-swapping in embarrassing content

Why it’s particularly harmful: Even when proven fake, the damage to reputation persists. Victims feel violated and helpless.

Gaming Platforms

Why it matters: Gaming isn’t just entertainment—it’s where kids socialize.

Common issues:

• Voice chat harassment
• Exclusion from teams or groups
• Griefing (deliberately ruining others’ game experiences)
• Swatting (false emergency calls to victim’s home)
• Doxxing through gaming communities

Platforms of concern: Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, Discord, Among Us, and emerging metaverse spaces.

Finsta and Secret Accounts

What it is: “Finsta” (fake Instagram) or private accounts used to share content hidden from parents.

How it enables bullying:

• “Burn books” or hate accounts targeting individuals
• Private groups where bullying is planned
• Sharing content not meant to be seen by certain people
• Multiple personas enable harassment without main account consequences

Group Messaging Dynamics

Why it’s complex: Group chats have become the primary social space for kids.

Bullying tactics:

• Exclusion (removing someone or creating new groups without them)
• Ganging up on one person
• Sharing screenshots of private conversations
• Creating groups specifically to mock someone

Social Media Algorithm Amplification

The problem: Platforms boost controversial or emotional content.

How it worsens bullying:

• Mean posts get more engagement, so algorithms promote them
• Mob behavior is incentivized
• Victims’ responses can make things worse (engagement)
• “Cancel culture” dynamics affect children

Warning Signs: Is Your Child Experiencing Cyberbullying?

Many general bullying signs apply, but watch for digital-specific indicators:

Device Behavior Changes

• Appearing upset, frustrated, or anxious during or after device use
• Suddenly secretive about online activities
• Avoiding or becoming obsessed with checking devices
• Withdrawing from favorite online games or platforms
• Receiving notifications that cause visible distress
• Closing screens or hiding devices when you approach

Social Media Changes

• Deleting social media accounts unexpectedly
• Dramatically reducing posts or going silent
• Blocking former friends
• Removing photos or posts suddenly
• Receiving fewer interactions from peers
• Comments section on posts gets disabled

Emotional and Behavioral Changes

• Not wanting to go to school (where cyberbullying is discussed face-to-face)
• Changes in sleep patterns (up late monitoring online drama)
• Avoiding social situations both online and offline
• Making comments about “online drama” or “group chat problems”
• Appearing depressed or anxious, particularly after device use

What to Do: Response Strategies

Immediate Response to Cyberbullying

1. Don’t respond or retaliate Teach your child: “Don’t engage. It’s what they want.”

2. Document everything

• Screenshot messages, posts, comments with timestamps
• Save URLs
• Document who was involved (usernames, real names if known)
• Record the platform where it occurred
• Note date, time, and any witnesses

3. Block and report

• Block the bully on all platforms
• Use in-platform reporting tools
• Report to platform administrators
• Report multiple times if needed

4. Preserve evidence but limit exposure Save screenshots somewhere secure, but don’t repeatedly review them—this retraumatizes.

5. Contact the school Most schools now include cyberbullying in their policies, especially if it affects the school environment.

6. Contact authorities if necessary Involve police when:

• Threats of violence occur
• Child pornography is involved (even teen-to-teen sharing)
• Identity theft or hacking occurs
• Stalking behavior is present
• Physical safety is threatened

Prevention Strategies for Parents

1. Digital Literacy and Contract

Create a family technology agreement including:

• What platforms/games are allowed
• Time limits and device-free times/spaces
• Privacy settings requirements
• Expectations for appropriate behavior
• Consequences for violations
• Agreement that parents can review activity

2. Open Communication

• Make it easy for your child to come to you
• Promise not to immediately take devices away (unless safety requires it)
• Regularly ask about their online experiences
• Share your own online experiences
• Normalize that digital drama happens

Good questions:

• “What’s happening in your group chats lately?”
• “Have you seen anyone being mean online?”
• “What would you do if someone posted something mean about you?“

3. Appropriate Monitoring

For younger children (under 12):

• Devices in common areas
• Parental controls on all platforms
• Access to all passwords
• Regular check-ins of messages and posts
• Supervised device use

For older children (12+):

• Gradual privacy with accountability
• Spot checks rather than constant monitoring
• Focus on patterns and warning signs
• Monitoring apps for safety (discuss openly)
• Trust but verify

Balance: Privacy is important for development, but safety comes first.

4. Teach Digital Citizenship

Your child should understand:

• Permanence: Nothing online is truly private or temporary
• Tone is lost: Messages can be misinterpreted
• Think before posting: Would you say this to someone’s face?
• Empathy: Consider how others feel
• Digital footprint: Future schools/employers can find things
• Consent: Don’t share others’ photos or information without permission

5. Privacy Settings and Security

Help your child:

• Set all accounts to private
• Limit who can contact them
• Turn off location services
• Disable public comments
• Review friend/follower lists regularly
• Use strong, unique passwords
• Enable two-factor authentication

6. Model Good Digital Behavior

Children learn from watching you:

• How do you use social media?
• Do you post about others without consent?
• How do you handle online disagreements?
• Do you practice device-free time?
• What’s your relationship with technology?

School Partnerships

Advocate for:

• Clear cyberbullying policies
• Digital citizenship education
• Consequences for cyberbullying that affects school climate
• Training for staff on recognizing cyberbullying
• Parent education on digital safety

Work with schools on:

• Reporting mechanisms for students
• Response protocols when incidents occur
• Restorative practices when appropriate
• Support services for affected students

When Traditional and Cyber Bullying Overlap

Often, they’re part of the same pattern:

Example: A child is excluded at lunch (traditional) and removed from group chats (cyber). Peers laugh at them in the hallway (traditional) while posting memes mocking them online (cyber).

Response must address both:

• Work with school on face-to-face incidents
• Address digital harassment separately
• Recognize the compounding psychological impact
• Provide comprehensive support

Platform-Specific Guidance (2025)

Instagram/TikTok/Social Media

• Verify accounts are private
• Turn off location tagging
• Limit who can comment/DM
• Review followers regularly
• Use “close friends” features wisely

Snapchat

• Understand that “disappearing” doesn’t mean gone (screenshots exist)
• Watch for Snap Map privacy issues
• Monitor friend lists
• Be aware of “streaks” pressure

Gaming Platforms

• Use parental controls for chat features
• Limit or disable voice chat with strangers
• Monitor friend requests from unknown users
• Play games with your child to understand the environment

Messaging Apps

• Know what apps they use (messaging apps are often hiding spots)
• Understand features like disappearing messages
• Set boundaries about group chat participation
• Check in about group dynamics

Teaching Resilience in Digital Spaces

Help your child develop:

Critical thinking:

• “Is this true or gossip?”
• “Why might someone post this?”
• “What’s the context I might be missing?”

Emotional regulation:

• “Wait before responding when upset”
• “Step away from the screen when you need to”
• “Talk to a trusted adult before escalating”

Perspective:

• “This feels huge now but won’t always”
• “Their opinion doesn’t define you”
• “You have real-life people who matter more”

Problem-solving:

• “What are three ways I could handle this?”
• “Who can I talk to for help?”
• “What’s the safest, smartest response?”

FAQ: Cyberbullying in 2025

Q: At what age should kids get social media accounts? A: Most platforms require age 13, but maturity matters more than age. Consider their emotional readiness, digital literacy, and your ability to monitor. Start with limited access and increase gradually.

Q: Should I read all my child’s messages? A: It depends on age. Under 12, regular monitoring is appropriate. Teenagers need some privacy, but you should have access in emergencies and conduct periodic checks. Be transparent about this.

Q: What if my child is cyberbullying someone else? A: Address it immediately using strategies from our guide on when your child is the bully. Add digital-specific consequences (loss of device privileges) and require them to see the impact of their words.

Q: Can schools discipline for cyberbullying that happens outside school? A: Often yes, if it creates a substantial disruption to the school environment. Laws vary by state. Check your school’s policy.

Q: Should I confront the bully’s parents? A: Sometimes, but proceed carefully. If you have a good relationship with them, a calm conversation can help. Otherwise, work through the school. Keep documented evidence.

Q: How do I get harmful content removed from social media? A: Report using platform tools, providing all evidence. Be persistent—report multiple times if needed. Document that you’ve reported. If platforms don’t respond and content violates laws, consult an attorney.

Conclusion: Protecting Kids in Both Worlds

In stories like “Outnumbered,” Jack’s classmates could stand physically together to outnumber his bullies. In the digital world, that unity looks different—it’s about teaching our children to be digital upstanders, to protect their own digital wellbeing, and to create kind online communities.

The line between traditional and cyberbullying is increasingly blurred. Today’s parents must be fluent in both worlds, ready to support their children wherever bullying occurs.

Key takeaways:

• Cyberbullying has unique challenges (permanence, reach, 24/7 access)
• But core principles remain the same (power imbalance, intent to harm, need for intervention)
• Prevention requires ongoing education and open communication
• Response needs documentation, platform action, school involvement, and emotional support
• Building resilience and open communication protects in both realms

Stay involved, stay informed, and let your child know that whether bullying happens face-to-face or screen-to-screen, you’re there to help them navigate it.

The goal isn’t to eliminate technology—it’s to teach our children to use it safely, kindly, and wisely, standing up against harm in whatever form it takes.

While digital spaces present new challenges, the core message of “Outnumbered” remains timeless: together, we’re stronger than any bully—online or off.