Alkateia
Family guides / Digital safety

What is cyberbullying and how can parents respond?

Understand online bullying and organize a response with support, documentation, reporting, and school involvement when needed.

By AlkateiaUpdated September 20, 20262 min read

In this guide
  1. When does a joke cross the line? Saying it was “just a joke” does not settle the matter. Notice whether someone was exposed against their wishes, whether aggression continues, and whether they fear returning to a group or school. You do not need a diagnosis or a specific number of messages before offering help. Do not judge the situation solely by the sender's sense of humor.
  2. What can parents do now? Listen without minimizing distress. Save messages and identifiers, then block and report those responsible through the platform. If classmates are involved, contact the school with objective facts and request follow-up without publicly exposing students. Threats and violence require appropriate protection channels. (UNICEF)
  3. How should you talk to the school? Describe what happened, when it began, and how the child is affected. Ask the school to protect confidentiality, assess in-person risks, and explain its response. Record agreed actions and arrange follow-up. A meeting with everyone involved is not always the right first step; support and protection come before attempted reconciliation.
  4. What if my child shared the offensive content? Stop its circulation and address responsibility without humiliation. Explain that forwarding offensive content increases exposure. Tell them not to delete information needed for investigation without guidance and to cooperate with the adults handling the case. The aim is to repair what can be repaired and prevent recurrence, not create another round of attacks.
  5. Does a private family group prevent cyberbullying? No. A group of people who know each other still needs rules of respect. In Alkateia, invitation controls determine who joins; they do not promise that no member will send an inappropriate message. Use digital safety agreements to discuss respect, privacy, and asking for help. For rights violations, Dial 100 in Brazil and local protection services offer support beyond the app. (Federal Government of Brazil)

Cyberbullying is repeated digital intimidation intended to hurt, frighten, or humiliate. It may involve offensive messages, embarrassing exposure, and fake profiles. An isolated conflict can also be serious even if it does not fit this definition. (UNICEF)

When does a joke cross the line? Saying it was “just a joke” does not settle the matter. Notice whether someone was exposed against their wishes, whether aggression continues, and whether they fear returning to a group or school. You do not need a diagnosis or a specific number of messages before offering help. Do not judge the situation solely by the sender's sense of humor.

What can parents do now? Listen without minimizing distress. Save messages and identifiers, then block and report those responsible through the platform. If classmates are involved, contact the school with objective facts and request follow-up without publicly exposing students. Threats and violence require appropriate protection channels. (UNICEF)

How should you talk to the school? Describe what happened, when it began, and how the child is affected. Ask the school to protect confidentiality, assess in-person risks, and explain its response. Record agreed actions and arrange follow-up. A meeting with everyone involved is not always the right first step; support and protection come before attempted reconciliation.

What if my child shared the offensive content? Stop its circulation and address responsibility without humiliation. Explain that forwarding offensive content increases exposure. Tell them not to delete information needed for investigation without guidance and to cooperate with the adults handling the case. The aim is to repair what can be repaired and prevent recurrence, not create another round of attacks.

Does a private family group prevent cyberbullying? No. A group of people who know each other still needs rules of respect. In Alkateia, invitation controls determine who joins; they do not promise that no member will send an inappropriate message. Use digital safety agreements to discuss respect, privacy, and asking for help. For rights violations, Dial 100 in Brazil and local protection services offer support beyond the app. (Federal Government of Brazil)

Sources and references

  1. UNICEF — Cyberbullying: what is it and how to stop it
  2. Federal Government of Brazil — Report human rights violations / Dial 100
  3. Planalto — Law No. 15,211/2025, Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents

Sources accessed September 20, 2026. Informational content produced by Alkateia; information about the app describes its own features.