Germany: Cyberbullying reaches record high among students

A new study titled ‘Cyberlife VI’ by the Alliance Against Cyberbullying reveals that cyberbullying among children and adolescents in Germany has reached a record high. Approximately 20.7 percent of students, totaling nearly 2.4 million young people, report being victims of online harassment. This is a significant increase from the 18.5 percent reported in 2024 and 12.7 percent in 2017.

The research indicates that attacks often occur through platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and gaming chatrooms. Notably, 90 percent of these incidents take place within a school context, with more than two-thirds of victims knowing their harassers from their own class or school. Common forms of abuse include insults, spreading embarrassing images, blackmail, and threats.

Uwe Leest, chairman of the Alliance Against Cyberbullying, warned that the problem is expanding into younger age groups, with roughly one in twelve primary school students already targeted. The study also highlighted the psychological toll, noting that 25 percent of affected youth reported suicidal thoughts. In response, there is growing support among parents and educators for age limits on social media use, with many advocating for a minimum age of 16.