Guest Commentary | Bullying in 2026: The pushing & shoving now happens online
Movies and TV shows often depict bullying as a physical act at school – an older, stronger student forcibly taking the lunch of a classmate who is smaller in stature or pushing and shoving a younger student in the hallway.
In 2026, though, bullying is not just isolated to school hours or limited to physical intimidation. Cyberbullying is running rampant among children, adolescents and teens, predominantly across social media channels where memes, comments and DMs can be downright cruel. Although cyberbullies can create fake profiles that help mask their identities, in many cases these bullies are bold enough to use their own names when launching vicious attacks, issuing threats or making slanderous statements.
Cyberbullies don’t fear repercussions. Victims often do not report cyberbullying for the same reasons that victims of physical bullying didn’t report it a generation ago – they feel embarrassment or shame, and perhaps think that saying something will make them even bigger targets for future harassment.
Not addressing the issue, though, doesn’t make the problem go away. In fact, ignoring it often makes cyberbullying worse until the problem reaches a breaking point.
Unlike a school lunchroom, hallway or playground where teachers and school staff are present, social media has been an unsupervised breeding ground for cyberbullying. Many of the school-age children and teens that are turning to SalusCare today are seeking counseling as a result of cyberbullying. Bullying impacts the mental health of victims, witnesses and even the bullies themselves, leading to depression, anxiety, poor academic performance and attendance at school, low self-esteem, feelings of aggression and increases in high-risk behaviors like substance use, self-injury and suicidal ideation. Bullying creates trauma and can result in post-traumatic stress disorder for both the victim and the bully. Severity of symptoms varies widely and is impacted by a child’s support system and coping mechanisms.
Many schools and school districts around the country have adopted zero-tolerance policies for bullying and cyberbullying. In Florida, state legislators approved the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act, which was named after a Cape Coral student who took his own life because of persistent bullying. The law, which explores a problem that for generations was vague and difficult to define, expands bullying to include cyberbullying and defines it as “systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students.”
The law lists 10 examples of bullying:
• Teasing
• Social exclusion
• Threat
• Intimidation
• Stalking
• Physical violence
• Theft
• Sexual, religious or racial harassment
• Public or private humiliation
• Destruction of property
Parents should speak with their children about bullying and cyberbullying. They should listen and be supportive, but not try to resolve the issue themselves. Therapists are incredibly insightful and help many children and teens overcome challenges like bullying.
Most importantly, parents should never tell their children to “suck it up” or fight back. Instead, consider collaborative problem solving.
Children often pattern their behavior from the adults around them, so parents who model positive behaviors and practice conflict resolution generally will influence their children in a positive way.
Parents who themselves struggle with their behavior and lack conflict resolution skills often raise children who share the same struggles.
Whether it’s in person or online, students need to know it’s not OK to call someone fat, a slut, a nerd or any other derogatory term, just like it’s not OK to threaten or intimidate someone. Free speech is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, but that doesn’t protect cyberbullies from the consequences of their actions. Disciplinary actions at school can include suspension or expulsion, and school resource officers are empowered to escalate cases to law enforcement to pursue legal action, including the potential for jail time.
Schools widely promote the “see something, say something” campaign regarding weapons and drugs on campus. The same level of awareness should arise when students experience cyberbullying or notice instances where a friend or classmate is being bullied.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a period when communities unite to show kindness, acceptance and inclusion. Students who are cyberbullied don’t come home with bruises, scratches or torn clothing. They bear emotional scars, though, and the one in five students who report being bullied each year need to know this community has their back.
Alice M. Merrifield is director of outpatient therapy and community clinical services at SalusCare, a not-for-profit organization that provides mental health, behavioral health and addiction services to adults and children in Southwest Florida.