A recent UN poll indicates an alarming rise in cyberbullying, with two-thirds of children worldwide reporting an increase. One in two children feel they lack access to adequate support.
UN Special Representative on Violence against Children, Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, highlighted the urgent need for the online ecosystem to act decisively. The report, drawing responses from over 30,000 children, emphasizes how artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming online threats.
Generative AI is making cyberbullying faster, more targeted, and harder to detect, enabling the rapid spread of deepfake photos and videos. Children are increasingly manipulated by chatbots, struggling to differentiate AI-generated content from real human interaction, leading to exploitation and humiliation.
Children hesitate to report cyberbullying due to fear of stigma, peer rejection, and judgment from adults. The consequences of not reporting can be severe, including psychological distress and lasting reputational damage. In the most tragic instances, it has driven children to suicide.
Dr. M’jid stressed the necessity of involving all stakeholders - governments, industry, educators, families, and children themselves - in designing a safer digital world. Children are calling for digital spaces that offer quick, safe, and human support, urging that the digital future be designed with them, not just for them.