Cyberbullying reports have surged by more than 450% in the past five years, with children starting out in secondary school accounting for more than a third of all incidents, new data reveals.
In 2024, eSafety received 2,978 valid cyberbullying complaints, a 25% increase compared to the previous year. Of those reports, 1,385 (46%) were in relation to children 13 years-old and younger. Children aged 12-13 accounted for 35% of reports in 2024.
Inman Grant said cyberbullying reports tend to increase during the school term as online bullying is often an extension of bullying behaviour in the playground or classroom.
“Parents and carers of children who are entering secondary school will find eSafety’s webinars relevant, informative and help you have those crucial conversations about what their online activities are and who they are chatting to,” Inman Grant said.
“Most importantly, the conversations you have now with your children are about reassuring them they can come to you if anything they experience online makes them feel uneasy.”
Scheduled throughout February when students are beginning the school year, eSafety’s webinars will explore the social pressures and other challenges young people face as they transition to secondary school and offer practical strategies about how to navigate online friendships to help minimise negative experiences.
“Unfortunately, we are seeing a significant proportion of cyberbullying complaints impacting young people aged 12 and 13, many of whom are navigating high school for the first time,” Inman Grant said. “Interestingly, girls are reporting cyberbullying at double the rate, compared to boys.”
Valid cyberbullying reports to eSafety increased from 536 in 2019 to 2,978 in 2024 – a 455% increase over the five-year period.
“While the exponential growth in cyberbullying reports in recent years is concerning, it is also a clear indication that more people know what to do when it happens and they are reporting to us at eSafety.gov.au,” Inman Grant said.
“It’s important to remember that these are not just numbers. Behind each report is a child who is potentially in pain and in crisis, which is why we are urging parents and educators to take full advantage of the free information and resources provided by eSafety, which are designed to boost resilience among families and school communities.”
ESafety's back-to school support resources for parents, carers and educators includes transition to secondary school webinars for parents and carers throughout February and other webinars scheduled for Term 1, 2025; professional development and tailored classroom resources for educators; and a range of resources to assist educators integrate cyberbullying awareness into their curriculums.
“Education is a cornerstone of our work and our focus on supporting parents, carers and schools will continue,” Inman Grant said.
“As we work towards effectively implementing the social media minimum age legislation, this will intersect with our holistic approach to keeping children safe online. Our world-first enforceable industry codes and standards will support our umbrella-of-protection approach.”
Five steps you can take to help make the internet a safer and more positive place:
1. Be kind – Practice respect, empathy and kindness online.
2. Be mindful – Balance your time online and consume and share factual and respectful content
3. Speak up – Collect evidence and report online abuse and harmful content.
4. Start the conversation – Talk about online safety with your networks and communities, family, friends and colleagues.
5. Share resources – Promote online safety tools and tips with your networks and communities, family, friends and colleagues.
The original version of this article first appeared as a media release from the eSafety Commissioner.