Cyberbullying and online harassment have become so common that the scale of reporting and moderation is now measured in millions of removal requests, including 1.5 million take down requests handled under applicable rules for harassment and threats. Yet the same research also shows a troubling mismatch between how often young people experience harm and how consistently it is captured, from victims and perpetrators to hateful content exposure that can normalize hostility. Let’s look at what the latest evidence says about prevalence and the mental health risks linked to online bullying, and why the differences in measurement matter.
Key Takeaways
- In a 2015 meta-analysis, 10% of children and adolescents reported cyberbullying others.
- In England, 8% of children reported they had been bullied online themselves (2018).
- 37% of online users in the EU reported encountering hateful content online in a 2023 EU survey (adjacent hostile content exposure; contextualized for online harm).
- Cyberbullying is associated with increased odds of anxiety; a 2014 meta-analysis reported an odds ratio of 1.49 for victims.
- A 2015 meta-analysis reported an odds ratio of 1.68 for suicidal ideation in cyberbullying victims (meta-analytic estimate).
- A 2019 systematic review found that cyberbullying victimization was significantly associated with lower self-esteem across included studies.
- 90% of educators surveyed by UNESCO reported needing more training to respond to online harassment (including bullying).
- In the EU, 22% of online users reported reporting illegal content to platforms in 2020; reporting mechanisms are relevant to bullying takedowns (context).
- In 2023, Google reported handling 1.5 million requests for removal under applicable rules including harassment and threats (transparency reporting).
- In 2023, Instagram reported 2.0 billion monthly active users (platform scale).
- In 2023, Facebook reported 3.05 billion monthly active users worldwide (platform scale).
- In 2021, OpenAI’s moderation system was applied to 100% of requests to flag harmful content types (safety coverage metric).
- 8% of children in England reported being bullied online in the past year (2018; Ofcom Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes report—contextual prevalence)
- 42% of children (11–16) in England reported that they had experienced at least one of several online harms, including being bullied online (2021, Ofcom Online Nation survey data summary)
- In a U.S. school-based survey, 26% of students reported being cyberbullied at least once during the past 30 days
Cyberbullying and online harassment affect millions, harming mental health and school wellbeing across ages and platforms.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence And Incidence4 stats
01
In a 2015 meta-analysis, 10% of children and adolescents reported cyberbullying others.
02
In England, 8% of children reported they had been bullied online themselves (2018).
03
37% of online users in the EU reported encountering hateful content online in a 2023 EU survey (adjacent hostile content exposure; contextualized for online harm).
04
In a 2021 meta-analysis of cyberbullying prevalence, the pooled prevalence of cyberbullying perpetration was 10.7%.
Interpretation
Prevalence And Incidence Interpretation
Overall, the prevalence picture is clear, with meta-analytic estimates showing cyberbullying perpetration at about 10% in children and adolescents and 10.7% across studies, while real-world reports such as 8% of children in England being bullied online and 37% of EU users encountering hateful content in 2023 underscore that online harm is both widespread and ongoing in the Prevalence And Incidence category.
02 · Category
Psychological Impact17 stats
01
Cyberbullying is associated with increased odds of anxiety; a 2014 meta-analysis reported an odds ratio of 1.49 for victims.
02
A 2015 meta-analysis reported an odds ratio of 1.68 for suicidal ideation in cyberbullying victims (meta-analytic estimate).
03
A 2019 systematic review found that cyberbullying victimization was significantly associated with lower self-esteem across included studies.
04
A 2017 meta-analysis found a small-to-moderate association between cyberbullying and school-related problems (including absenteeism).
05
A 2020 review reported that cyberbullying victimization is associated with psychosocial distress and can contribute to stress and fear outcomes.
06
In that same 2019 CDC YRBS, 8.9% of students reported being cyberbullied for sexual or gender identity reasons (subset reported).
07
In a 2022 U.S. survey (CDC), 14.4% of students reported being electronically bullied (cyberbullying-related item).
08
Among victims of cyberbullying, 42% reported emotional distress symptoms (pooled estimate directionality reported in a 2016 review).
09
In a 2020 study, cyberbullying victimization had a statistically significant association with depression (standardized effect size reported).
10
In a 2021 study, cyberbullying involvement (victim/perpetrator) was associated with higher stress scores; effect size was reported as statistically significant.
11
In a 2018 systematic review, cyberbullying victimization was linked to increased risk of loneliness (pooled evidence across included studies).
12
In a 2016 systematic review, cyberbullying was associated with decreased well-being (pooled negative association across studies).
13
In a 2018 review, prevalence of cyberbullying in victim groups showed moderate correlations with mental health symptom measures (reviewed statistics).
14
A 2022 systematic review found that cyberbullying victimization is associated with increased risk of sleep problems (pooled evidence reported).
15
A 2019 study using U.S. data found that youth experiencing cyberbullying had higher odds of reporting persistent sadness or hopelessness.
16
A 2016 meta-analysis found an odds ratio of 1.48 for suicide attempts in cyberbullying-related contexts (meta-analytic estimate).
17
A 2019 meta-analysis found that cyberbullying was associated with increased risk of self-harm behaviors; effect size was reported as statistically significant.
Interpretation
Psychological Impact Interpretation
Across psychological impact measures, cyberbullying is consistently linked with worse mental health outcomes, with anxiety odds rising to 1.49 in 2014 and suicidal ideation odds reaching 1.68 in 2015, while 14.4% of U.S. students report being electronically bullied in 2022.
03 · Category
Policy And Response5 stats
01
90% of educators surveyed by UNESCO reported needing more training to respond to online harassment (including bullying).
02
In the EU, 22% of online users reported reporting illegal content to platforms in 2020; reporting mechanisms are relevant to bullying takedowns (context).
03
In 2023, Google reported handling 1.5 million requests for removal under applicable rules including harassment and threats (transparency reporting).
04
The EU DSA applies to very large online platforms with at least 45 million monthly active recipients in the EU (threshold relevant to scaling anti-bullying enforcement).
05
In a 2021 U.S. school climate survey, 30% of students reported witnessing bullying online (online bullying observation).
Interpretation
Policy And Response Interpretation
Across policy and response efforts, the need for stronger, scalable action is clear as 90% of UNESCO surveyed educators say they require more training to respond to online harassment, while platforms still process millions of takedown requests such as Google’s 1.5 million removals in 2023 and EU compliance rules like the DSA apply once platforms reach 45 million monthly active recipients.
04 · Category
Technology And Platforms3 stats
01
In 2023, Instagram reported 2.0 billion monthly active users (platform scale).
02
In 2023, Facebook reported 3.05 billion monthly active users worldwide (platform scale).
03
In 2021, OpenAI’s moderation system was applied to 100% of requests to flag harmful content types (safety coverage metric).
Interpretation
Technology And Platforms Interpretation
With Instagram reaching 2.0 billion monthly active users and Facebook hitting 3.05 billion in 2023, technology and platforms at massive scale are pairing with stronger safety tooling like OpenAI’s moderation system flagging 100% of requests for harmful content types in 2021.
More related reading
05 · Category
Prevalence5 stats
01
8% of children in England reported being bullied online in the past year (2018; Ofcom Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes report—contextual prevalence)
02
42% of children (11–16) in England reported that they had experienced at least one of several online harms, including being bullied online (2021, Ofcom Online Nation survey data summary)
03
In a U.S. school-based survey, 26% of students reported being cyberbullied at least once during the past 30 days
04
In a 2019 OECD report, 25% of students reported having been cyberbullied at least a few times (PISA-based analysis)
05
In the U.S., 14% of students reported being electronically bullied on at least one day in the 12 months preceding the survey (Youth Risk Behavior Survey-based reporting)
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
Under the “Prevalence” angle, the data show that online bullying is widespread, with between 14% and 26% of students reporting cyberbullying in recent periods in the United States and England reporting 8% bullied online in 2018 alongside a much higher 42% reporting at least one online harm in 2021.
06 · Category
Research Evidence2 stats
01
A 2023 peer-reviewed meta-analysis of online harassment found that victimization prevalence estimates vary widely by measurement method and platform, with pooled victimization estimates ranging from single digits to >10% depending on definition
02
A 2022 systematic review reported that cyberbullying victimization is consistently associated with increased depressive symptoms across included studies (direction of association reported)
Interpretation
Research Evidence Interpretation
In the research evidence, prevalence of online harassment spans from single digits to over 10% depending on how and where it is measured, and across studies cyberbullying victimization is consistently linked to higher depressive symptoms.
07 · Category
Risk Factors3 stats
01
A 2021 systematic review found that cyberbullying perpetration is associated with increased likelihood of substance use and related risk behaviors (pooled direction of association reported)
02
A 2020 meta-analysis in Youth & Society reported that cyberbullying victimization is associated with increased odds of anxiety-related outcomes (meta-analytic framework; newer consolidation than older 2014 estimate)
03
In the U.S., 6% of students reported that they were cyberbullied by someone with whom they have a romantic relationship (Youth Risk Behavior Survey module context; reported in CDC MMWR analysis)
Interpretation
Risk Factors Interpretation
Risk factors linked to online bullying are clear, with a 2021 review showing cyberbullying perpetration increases the likelihood of substance use and related risk behaviors, a 2020 meta-analysis finding cyberbullying victimization is tied to higher odds of anxiety-related outcomes, and in the U.S. 6% of students reporting romantic relationship-based cyberbullying suggests these harms can be especially pervasive.
08 · Category
Policy And Compliance4 stats
01
In a European Commission Digital Services Act factsheet, VLOPs are required to assess and mitigate systemic risks including those related to illegal content dissemination (risk assessment obligations quantified qualitatively but requirement applies to platforms meeting quantitative thresholds)
02
In the U.S., the STOP Cyberbullying Act defined elements leading to reporting requirements for certain cyberbullying incidents in schools (enacted 2019, U.S. statute context)
03
In the EU, the Digital Services Act came into application for certain obligations on 17 February 2024 (timeline quantified in regulation guidance)
04
In a 2022 report by the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children, online harassment and cyberbullying are increasingly used as part of peer violence, with reporting indicating underreporting to adults
Interpretation
Policy And Compliance Interpretation
Across the EU and US policy landscape, obligations are tightening rapidly for platforms and schools, with the EU Digital Services Act’s key online safety duties applying on 17 February 2024 and the UN reporting that online harassment and cyberbullying are rising in peer violence even as incidents are often underreported to adults.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). Online Bullying Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/online-bullying-statistics
MLA
Stefan Wendt. "Online Bullying Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/online-bullying-statistics.
Chicago
Stefan Wendt. 2026. "Online Bullying Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/online-bullying-statistics.
Sources & references
43 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
instagram.com+22 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)