Two-thirds of children say cyberbullying is rising worldwide: UN survey

More than two-thirds of children surveyed worldwide believe cyberbullying is increasing, according to a recent survey involving over 32,000 young respondents conducted by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children.

The online poll found that 66 percent of children think cyberbullying is on the rise, highlighting growing concern about online safety among young internet users.

Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, the Special Representative behind the survey, warned of the alarming trend and called for faster and more coordinated action from governments, technology companies and communities to better protect children online.

“During her presentation [to the UN Human Rights Council], Ms. M’jid highlighted that the rapid development of generative AI is reshaping cyberbullying, making it faster and harder to detect, enabling deepfakes, automated targeting, and the manipulation of children through tools they trust and cannot distinguish from real human interaction,” the UN Meetings Coverage and Press Releases said.

M’jid stressed that protecting children online requires a coordinated effort from all sectors involved in the digital environment.

In the same press release, the UN official emphasized the need to involve all stakeholders in child online protection, including governments, industry leaders, educators, families, children and youth.

The report also noted that artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming online threats, creating new risks for children in digital spaces.

According to the UN Special Representative’s findings, the rapid evolution of AI technologies is making cyberbullying more sophisticated, while also complicating efforts to detect and stop harmful content targeting minors.