Cyberbullying
In schools, counselors often meet with students who report negative or upsetting interactions online. Part of that work involves helping youth understand the difference between everyday conflict, unkind behavior, and situations that require adult support. Not every hurtful comment or online interaction rises to the same level, and context, intent, and impact all matter—both offline and online.
Understanding these differences can help adults respond more effectively and avoid overreacting or minimizing concerns. Having a shared language around online behavior allows for clearer conversations with youth and more thoughtful guidance.
The digital landscape—including social media platforms, group messaging, and AI-influenced content—can make these situations feel more intense or confusing. With so much information available online, it’s easy for parents and professionals to feel overwhelmed. That’s why Shape the Sky provides clear, practical resources to help adults navigate online interactions, digital conflict, and evolving youth behavior with confidence and perspective.
Online Resources
Explore these online resources to learn all you need to know about cyberbullying and how to resolve cyberbullying issues. We share cyberbullying tips, research-based articles, blog posts, studies, and more.
Cyberbullying Research Center
The Cyberbullying Research center is your go-to resource for all things cyberbullying. They share resources for educators, victims, parents, and students about handling cyberbullying, where to report it online, how to help victims, and more.
StopBullying.gov
StopBullying.gov’s mission is to “provide information from various government agencies on what bullying is, what cyberbullying is, who is at risk, and how you can prevent and respond to bullying.” They also share helpful cyberbullying prevention and resource pages.
State Cyberbullying Laws
The Cyberbullying Research Center shared the cyberbullying bills and laws across the United States. Search the map to see what the laws and bills are for your state, such as if there are criminal and/or school sanctions for cyberbullying.
LGBTQ+ Support
LGBTQ+ youth are at an increased risk of being bullied. According to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, high school students who reported being lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) are cyberbullied 26.6% more than straight students. According to the source, this also increases the risk for depression, suicidal ideation, misuse of drugs, and more.
The Trevor Project: Bullying and Suicide Risk Among LGBTQ Youth
“Negative treatment by others, such as bullying, is a strong and consistent risk factor for youth suicide (Koyanagi et al., 2019), and LGBTQ youth experience bullying at significantly greater rates than their straight and cisgender peers (Reisner et al., 2015; Webb et al., 2021)”
The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is an excellent resource for LGBTQ+ youth struggling with bullying. The organization shares resources to help individuals come out and build healthy relationships. They also have a 24/7 immediate support chat, call, and text line for crisis counseling.
Connect Safely: Guide to LGBTQ+ Cyberbullying
This all-encompassing guide provides information to parents, educators, and youth about LGBTQ+ cyberbullying. Connect Safely shares information regarding online lifelines, what parents and family members can do to help, how to create a positive school environment, and more.