Cyberbullying affects more and more young people and leaves deep scars. The latest data shows that incidents among teenagers are on the rise. In Italy, around 17% of teenagers experience cyberbullying, according to a recent study. This means that almost one in six young people aged between 14 and 19 has been subjected to online abuse or harassment.
Knowing how to recognize the early signs of digital bullying can really make a difference. In this guide, you will find simple explanations, useful signs to look out for, and practical advice on tools such as Eyezy that can really help.
What does cyberbullying mean?
Cyberbullying refers to various types of nasty behavior that occur online. It can include teasing, threatening, excluding someone from groups, or spreading false rumors.
Often, photos or videos are shared against the child’s will to make them feel less secure. These acts mainly occur on social media platforms popular with young people, such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram, or on apps such as LINE and Discord.
Signs that every parent can recognize
Sometimes kids do everything they can to keep things to themselves, but certain signs speak louder than a thousand words. Here are some “red flags” that should set off alarm bells:
- Mood swings: if your child seems to be in a bad mood every time they put their phone down, or suddenly becomes gloomy, something may be wrong.
- Difficulty sleeping or poor grades: Sleepless nights for no reason or suddenly poor grades can be classic signs that something is wrong.
- Using the phone “secretly”: screens that close as soon as you set foot in the room, chats that disappear, or alternative profiles… These aren’t just detective obsessions!
- ‘Strange’ physical ailments: recurring headaches or stomach upsets with no real cause often speak louder than silence.
- Closing up: suddenly they don’t want to see their friends anymore, they skip outings, and school seems to become a nightmare? Here too, it’s better not to pretend nothing is wrong.
How Eyezy can help
Sometimes you really need extra help, and that’s where Eyezy comes in — a family location app designed to offer support to parents in compliance with the law and with the explicit consent of those involved. This tool works a bit like a little ally: it allows you to keep an eye on your children’s safety without interfering in their daily lives.
With Eyezy, you can see the messages they exchange, even those deleted in an instant, take a look at shared photos and videos, monitor someone’s AI Chatbots history and receive alerts if suspicious words appear. The beauty of it is that everything happens discreetly, without making them feel controlled. So, if someone tries to be clever online, you’re already one step ahead.
Eyezy offers more than 20 additional features, including call and contact monitoring, control of installed apps with the ability to block unwanted ones, GPS location tracking with geofencing to define safe or risky areas, and personalized reports and alerts via a simple and secure dashboard.
Conclusion
Being present and attentive to changes in your children is the best way to protect them from cyberbullying. Talk to your children often, stay close, and use tools like Eyezy if necessary: this can make their online life safer and more peaceful.