To read all laws and legislation involving cyberbullying per state, please visit: End to Cyber Bullying Organization
Cyberbullying is bullying – unwanted, repeated, aggressive, negative behavior – that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, tablets, and computers. Cyberbullying can happen over email, through texting, on social media, while gaming, on instant messaging, and through photo sharing.
Cyberbullying. (n.d.). Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://www.pacer.org/bullying/info/cyberbullying
Cyberbullying means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, which includes, but is not limited to, any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic system, photoelectronic system, or photo optical system, including, but not limited to, electronic mail, Internet communications, instant messages, or facsimile communications. Cyberbullying includes the creation of a webpage or weblog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person, or the knowing impersonation of another person as the author of posted content or messages, if the creation or impersonation creates any of the conditions enumerated in the definition of bullying. Cyberbullying also includes the distribution by electronic means of communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons, if the distribution or posting creates any of the conditions enumerated in the definition of bullying.
Florida Department of Education. (n.d.). Florida’s bullying and harassment laws. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://www.fldoe.org /contact-us/search.stml?q=cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is defined as posting a message or statement in a public media forum about another person with the intent to place them in fear of bodily harm or death, expressing an intent to commit violence, and with the knowledge that it will be viewed as a threat.
MCL – Section 750.411x. (n.d.). Michigan Legislature. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-750-411X
The statute defines “harassment, intimidation, or bullying” as intentional written, verbal, electronic, or physical acts exhibited toward another student more than once, which cause mental or physical harm and create an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment.
Section 3313.666 District policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying required.
(n.d.). Ohio Laws and Administrative Rules. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-3313.666
Bullying means a single significant act or a pattern of acts by one or more students directed at another student that exploits an imbalance of power and involves engaging in written or verbal expression, or physical conduct that satisfies the applicability requirements provided by Subsection (a 1), [that occurs on school property, at a school-sponsored or school-related activity, or in a vehicle operated by the district] and that: (1) has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or of damage to the student’s property, (2) is sufficiently severe, persistent, or [and] pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for a student; (iii) substantially disrupts the educational process or the orderly operation of a classroom or school; or school; and (iv) infringes on the rights of the victim and includes cyberbullying. (2) “Cyberbullying” means bullying that is done through the use of any electronic communication device, including through the use of a cellular or other type of telephone, a computer, a camera, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, a social media application, an Internet website, or any other Internet-based communication tool.
Texas bullying laws – David’s Law. (n.d.). Texas School Safety Center. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://txssc.txstate.edu/videos/bullying-and-the-law
According to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, cyberbullying can include:
- Sending cruel, vicious or threatening e-mails.
- Creating websites that have stories, pictures and jokes ridiculing others.
- Posting pictures of other students/kids online with derogatory phrases or questions attached to them.
- Using someone else’s e-mail to send vicious or incriminating e-mails to others.
- Using instant messaging tools to harass others.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 2025, https://www.pa.gov/agencies/homelandsecurity/resources/cyberbullying.html
Cyberbullying refers to any threats by one student toward another typically through e mails or on Web sites (e.g., blogs, social networking sites). Electronic communication that supports deliberate, hostile, hurtful messages intended to harm others is a form of bullying. Cyberbullying includes such things as sending mean, vulgar or threatening messages or images; posting sensitive, private information about another person; pretending to be someone else in order to make that person look bad; and defamatory online personal polling Web sites.
Model policy to address bullying in Virginia’s Public Schools. (2013, October). Virginia
Department of Education. Retrieved March 11, 2025, from https://www.doe.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/32839/638047296825300000
Online harassment and cyber bullying can take a wide variety of forms including: “trolling” (sending menacing or upsetting messages), identity theft, “doxxing” (making available personal information), cyber stalking.
Online harassment and cyber bullying. (n.d.). House of Commons Library. Retrieved March 14, 2025, from https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7967
Cyber bullying is the use of e-mail, web sites, instant messaging, chat rooms, cell phone text messaging and digital cameras to antagonize and intimidate others.
New York State. Retrieved April 8, 2025 from https://ag.ny.gov/resources/individuals/consumer-issues/technology/cyberbullying
In the state of California, the act of electronic cyber harassment is also known as cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is defined as the act of sending electronic communications (texts, emails, etc.) to place the recipient in reasonable fear for their safety or that of their immediate family.
Penal Code 653.2 PC c, California. Retrieved April 8, 2025 from https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=653.2
Illinois law defines cyberbullying as using electronic communications to harass, stalk, intimidate, threaten, assault, sexually harass, or humiliate someone. It is important to note that a single instance of one of these acts may not constitute cyberbullying. A person is more likely to be seen as committing a cyberbullying offense if he or she does any of the above pervasively as a course of conduct.
The law has a more specific definition for cyberbullying in schools:
- Causing a student a reasonable fear of harm
- Harming a student’s physical or mental health
- Interfering with a student’s academic performance
- Interfering with a student’s ability to participate in school activities, programs, and benefits
State of Illinois. Retrieved April 8, 2025 from: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=010500050K27-23.7
State of Virginia- cyberbullying is a form of bullying and is sometimes referred to as electronic bullying. It can involve:
- sending mean, vulgar, or threatening messages or images;
- posting sensitive, private information about another person;
- pretending to be someone else in order to make that person look bad; and
- intentionally excluding someone from an online group.
Cyberbullying can be done using e-mail, instant messaging, text, or digital imaging messages sent via cell phones, web pages, social media apps, blogs, and chat rooms.
§ 18.2-152.7:1., State of Virginia. Retrieved April 8, 2025 from https://virginiarules.org/varules_topics/bullying
International Definition per UNICEF:
Cyberbullying is bullying with the use of digital technologies. It can take place on social media, messaging platforms, gaming platforms and mobile phones. It is repeated behaviour, aimed at scaring, angering or shaming those who are targeted. Examples include:
- spreading lies about or posting embarrassing photos or videos of someone on social media
- sending hurtful, abusive or threatening messages, images or videos via messaging platforms
- impersonating someone and sending mean messages to others on their behalf or through fake accounts
- engaging in sexual harassment or bullying using generative AI tools.
Face-to-face bullying and cyberbullying can often happen alongside each other. But cyberbullying leaves a digital footprint – a record that can prove useful and provide evidence to help stop the abuse.
UNICEF. Retrieved April 8, 2025. https://www.unicef.org/end-violence/how-to-stop-cyberbullying