Online bullying help for young people

Drama and gossip can feel like a part of life. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If someone is bullying or harassing you online you can ask us for help and advice – no matter what your situation is. How can we help? Our helpline is open seven days a week to give…

Need help with online bullying? We can help.

Drama and gossip can feel like a part of life. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If someone is bullying or harassing you online you can ask us for help and advice – no matter what your situation is.

How can we help?

Our helpline is open seven days a week to give you free and confidential help. We’ll talk to you about what’s happening and let you know if there’s anything you can do to stop the bullying and stay safe.

We can also look into what’s happening and work with you and the person bullying or harassing you to get them to stop – but we won’t do this unless you say it’s OK. We may also contact online platforms like Facebook or Snapchat to ask them to block or remove posts or other harmful content.

If you’re concerned about the immediate safety of you or someone else, call 111.

Examples of online bullying

  • being shamed or called names online
  • someone repeatedly sending you unwanted messages
  • someone spreading rumours and lies about you
  • someone using fake accounts to make fun of you
  • being hacked or impersonated by someone else

Dealing with online bullying

We’ve put together some tips to help you to deal with online bullying.

Reach out
Talk to someone that you feel you can trust. This could be a close friend, a parent, other family members, or even a teacher. If you’d rather talk to someone else, you can contact Netsafe or Youthline for support.

Keep evidence
Save texts and emails and take screenshots of anything that might disappear later. Make sure you keep track of dates, what has happened, who you think did it and why.

Report it
Block or report the bully online. Most social networks have safety centres with tips on how to deal with bullying on the platforms. Here are some handy links:

Facebook Snapchat instagramYoutube Twitter
Facebook
 • Snapchat  • Instagram   •YouTube  • Twitter

There’s also the ability to disable comments on posts and videos on Instagram and YouTube.

Protect your info

  • Use privacy settings to protect what you publish online.
  • Don’t give anyone your password.
  • Log out when you finish using a site on a shared device.

Contact us
We can help you with advice and support. You can text ‘Netsafe’ to 4282, make a report online, email us at [email protected] or give us a call on 0508 NETSAFE (0508 638 723).

If you’re worried for your immediate safety, call the Police on 111.

Beyond bullying

If someone is:

  • encouraging you to hurt yourself
  • sharing intimate images of you without your consent
  • encouraging others to send harmful messages to you
  • sharing your private information without you permission

Text ‘Netsafe’ to 4282, call 0508 NETSAFE (0508 638 723) or email [email protected].

More advice and information

CONTACT NETSAFE

If you or someone you know needs help or advice about something that’s happened online, you can contact us seven days a week.

Our contact centre is open 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday, and 9am – 5pm on weekends and public holidays.  

If you’re concerned about the immediate safety of you or someone else, call 111. 

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