Cyberbullying costs New Zealand up to $1 billion each year in reduced productivity and impacts on education and employment, Netsafe says.
A new toolkit designed for Year 5 to 13 students looks to tackle this issue with lesson plans and activities focused on spotting harmful behaviour and leading with positivity and empathy.
Roughly one in ten adults and seven in ten teens have experienced cyberbullying.
Netsafe CEO Brent Carey says the toolkit will equip young people to be more resilient and empathetic online.
“Schools have consistently told us they need practical, structured resources grounded in evidence and tailored to the New Zealand context,” he says.
Carey says this is the first time a comprehensive, research-informed programme of this scale has been made freely available nationwide.
Though measures such as mobile phone bans aim to reduce disruption in the classroom, the impact of online harm is largely felt outside school hours, spilling into homes and communities.
“When harm happens online, the ripple effects extend well beyond a single incident, and prevention and early intervention are critical. When young people understand cyberbullying and its impacts, they’re more likely to engage safely and respectfully online.”
The programme draws on other prevention models such as Ireland’s FUSE anti-bullying programme and learnings from New Zealand’s Sticks ‘n Stones, a former bullying prevention programme taken over by Netsafe in early 2025.
Inspector Rob Sum from the New Zealand Police School Community Officers programme says the resources will add to existing knowledge and tools in order to equip and encourage our young people who might be encountering this serious issue.
“Police’s school community officers recognise cyber bullying is a present issue within schools, families and communities,” Sum says.
If your child has been cyberbullied, Netsafe advises adults to listen without judgment to build trust, evaluate the situation by gathering details, and reassuring youth it’s not their fault.
Don’t take their devices away as this cuts them off from their peer support networks. Do make a plan, including blocking the sender, adjusting privacy settings and reporting to platforms via ‘report abuse’ tools.
Contact the school immediately if it involves peers, as principals must address it under the Education and Training Act.
If your child is cyberbullying, Netsafe advises adults to approach the situation with empathy to encourage openness rather than defensiveness. Help them recognise the harm by discussing real impacts like anxiety or isolation for others, using examples from Netsafe resources.
Guide them to make amends by deleting content, sending an apology or blocking further contact. Further, it might be worthwhile to supervise online activity short-term while setting clear family rules on respectful digital behaviour.
Inform the school to address underlying peer issues, and involve Police School Community Officers if threats are involved.
The Cyberbullying Prevention Toolkit is available to schools through Netsafe’s Education Kete at https://education.netsafe.org.nz/cyberbullying-prevention-toolkit
Schools seeking support with an online harm issue can contact Netsafe’s free and confidential helpline on 0508 NETSAFE (0508 638 723), email help@netsafe.org.nz, report online at report.netsafe.org.nz or text ‘Netsafe’ to 4282.
