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Cyberbullying advice for educators and schools

Schools, teachers and other educators play a vital role in promoting the social and emotional development and wellbeing of Australian children and young people. 

This includes protecting students from cyberbullying, while also giving them the skills to deal with online abuse and the impacts. It’s also important to have policies in place to deal with incidents and build the online safety skills of your whole school community.

On this page:

About cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is when someone uses the internet to send, post or share content that is harmful to the physical or mental health of a child or young person under 18. It can happen on a social media site, game, app, or any other online or electronic service or platform. It can include posts, comments, texts, messages, chats, livestreams, memes, images, videos and emails.

Cyberbullying content can be reported to the online or electronic service or platform that was used to send, post or share it. This is usually the fastest way to get it removed. Read more about cyberbullying and download the quick guide, which has key information and safety advice.

If the service or platform does not help, and the cyberbullying is seriously harmful, eSafety can help to have it removed.

For eSafety to investigate, the child or young person must live in Australia, and the type of cyberbullying needs to meet a legal ‘threshold’. This means it must be likely to harm their physical or mental health because it is seriously threatening, seriously intimidating, seriously harassing or seriously humiliating.

Note about older students: Cyberbullying of someone who has recently turned 18 can be reported to eSafety, if they do it soon after finding out the harmful content was posted or shared. People who are 18 or older may be able to report an adult cyber abuse complaint.

What you can do

Encourage open discussion

Talking openly about online safety risks, and ways to prevent and deal with them, gives students the language and confidence to seek help when they need it. This strategy is even more effective if you extend the discussion to the whole school community, including parents and carers.

Teach online safety lessons

You can use eSafety classroom resources to ensure you are providing the most current advice, including the best pathways for reporting cyberbullying. You can also adopt our Best Practice Framework for Online Safety Education, make sure your own skills are up to date with our Professional Learning modules or find a Trusted eSafety Provider to run a program in your school.   

Call on students to be upstanders

Encourage students to speak up against cyberbullying, if it’s safe for them to do so, and check that the person targeted is OK. They should also tell a trusted adult if they know someone else is experiencing issues online or if they are going through a hard time themselves.  

Provide connection

Ensure students have staff members they feel connected to and activities they can feel a part of, particularly those at high risk of bullying. It is very important that they feel valued as a member of the school community.

Report cyberbullying

Support any student experiencing cyberbullying to report harmful content to the online or electronic service or platform used to send, post or share it. Reporting links for most sites, games and apps can be found in The eSafety Guide. If it’s really serious and the service or platform does not remove the harmful content, help the student to report it to eSafety.

Refer students to support services

Children who have experienced cyberbullying can feel a range of emotions from fear to anxiety, anger and a sense of hopelessness. They may suffer trauma and ongoing depression. The impacts can be temporary, but in some cases they can last a long time. Ensure all your students know how to contact support services such as Kids Helpline and Headspace. You should also refer any student with social or mental health difficulties to school counselling.  

Resources you can use

Cyberbullying can happen in many different ways and some experiences can have more impact than others. In certain circumstances, serious cyberbullying can be reported to eSafety and we can have harmful online content removed. But even when we can’t investigate, we still help Australians address cyberbullying in many ways – this includes providing resources that educators can use to keep their communities safer online.

Classroom resources

Build cyberbullying and online safety into the curriculum. eSafety offers classroom resources including lesson plans, worksheets and videos.

Professional learning summary sheets

Check key points about cyberbullying and how to deal with it in our cyberbullying factsheet and scenarios.

Toolkits for safer environments

Include strategies for preventing and dealing with cyberbullying in your online safety policies. Use eSafety’s Toolkit for Schools and Toolkit for Universities to find out how to engage and educate your community and respond to online safety issues. 

Best Practice Framework

eSafety’s Best Practice Framework for Online Safety Education establishes a consistent national approach that supports education systems across Australia to deliver high quality programs, with clearly defined elements and effective practices.

Training for educators

eSafety offers a range of free online safety training programs for teachers, school chaplains, mental health and social workers, and university support staff.

Childcare services

The Early Years program provides training and resources for childcare services and early childhood educators.

Case studies

These are some examples of the videos you will find in our Classroom Resources.

Visual Audio

At school, Ryan, Joel and Claudia are hanging out near their lockers. Grace and Bianca approach.

Ryan: Yeah, so I found this awesome website for ringtones. All free. They've got themes – whatever you want.

Grace: I promise I didn't do it!

Bianca: As if.

Grace: It must have been someone else.

Bianca: How?

Grace: I don't know!

Ryan: What happened?

Bianca: She's put horrible pictures of me on her page.

Grace: I haven't!

Bianca: And stupid captions.

Grace: Really, I haven't.

Dean is at home playing a game called Star Warriors online. He's playing with Joel, who is playing online from his home. They are chatting to each other using their gaming headsets.

Joel: Watch out!

Dean: Whoo-hoo! Nice move, Blaster.

Joel: I got your back, Shield Bearer 9.

Dean's Aunty, Trish, enters and signals to Dean that it's time to turn off the game and go collect eggs from the chickens. Dean turns off the game.

Dean: (sighs) Later.

Joel: Oh, what?

Joel goes into the kitchen where his mum, Wendy, is preparing food.

Wendy: Learn anything interesting at school today, Joel?

Joel: Nuh.

Wendy: Have you finished your homework?

Joel: Yeah.

Wendy: Promise?

Joel: Promise.

Wendy: Hope you're not playing that game again.

Joel: Just looking up stuff for school.

Wendy: OK.

Dean is outside collecting eggs. His sister, Rosie, approaches.

Rosie: Can I play your game?

Dean: No, Rosie.

Rosie: Can I call you Shield Bearer 9?

Dean: No.

Rosie: Can I be Shield Bearer 10?

Dean: You can be Egg Carrier 1.

Grace is in her bedroom looking at the pictures of Bianca on her page. Grace's dad enters.

Dad: Mum told me what happened.

Grace: It's horrible.

Dad: Is that them?

Grace: I had nothing to do with it.

Dad: Shove up. We'll see what's going on.

Dean is playing Star Warriors again with Joel. It's 2.58am! Dean's Aunty, Trish, opens his door.

Trish: Dean!

Dean turns off the game. At his home, Joel is upset to see that Dean has left the game. Joel's mum, Wendy, hears him from the other room.

Joel: Oh, what?! Again?!

Wendy: Joel, is everything OK?

Joel: Sorry, Mum. Bad dream.

Dean is outside at school sleeping against a tree. Two of his friends, Harry and Susan, are watching him.

Harry: What's up?

Dean: What?

Susan: Wakey-wakey, sleepyhead. Are you sick or something?

Harry: It's that stupid game he's always playing (imitates laser blasts).

Dean: Shut up, Harry.

Harry: We never hang out anymore.

Dean: We're hanging out now.

Harry: You know what I mean.

In the classroom, the teacher speaks to the class about online safety.

Teacher: Quiet. Quiet down, guys. Some of you already know that there's been an incident involving someone in this class and some hurtful behaviour. That's why I want to talk to you all about something which I think is important.

Computers, smartphones, tablets – they're all part of our lives now but they're not without issues. And I know that there's been an issue. I'm not going to say what and I'm not going to name names.

The teacher notices Joel is asleep on his desk.

Teacher: Joel. See me after class.

I want to ask all of you a question. Do you think that someone could pretend to be you on a social network?

Ryan: I reckon that might have happened.

Teacher: If someone gets hold of your password, if you give out your personal details, you make it easy for someone to pretend to be you. 

Ryan: But how would someone get hold of your password?

The teacher notices Joel is asleep again.

Teacher: Joel!

Dean is in bed asleep. His alarm is going off but he is not waking up. His Aunty Trish enters.

Trish: Up! Now! You're late.

Ollie and his older sister Sarah are their mum's cafe. Ollie is using his phone to post a selfie using Instamatic.

Sarah: What are you doing?

Ollie: Nothing.

Sarah: Are you taking selfies again?

Ollie: No.

Sarah: Who for?

Ollie: No-one. None of your business.

Sarah: Later, Mum.

Mum: Have a good day, you two.

Sarah and Ollie leave the cafe and head towards school.

Sarah: Don't send pictures around, Ollie.

Ollie: I'm not.

Sarah: Yeah. Right.

Ollie: Where would I send them?

Sarah: Well, you wouldn't send them to someone you've never met. Would you?

Joel, Claudia, Bianca and Grace are sitting around a table at school. Ryan approaches holding his phone out.

Ryan: Listen.

RINGTONE: Ryan, the phone is ringing! Ryan, the phone is ringing! Yee-ha! Whoo-hoo!

Claudia: (sarcastic) Amazing.

Ryan: I downloaded it from that site I told you about.

Joel: Cool.

Bianca: How much?

Ryan: Oh, let me think... One, two, free!

Dean's teacher Ms O’Reilly rings Dean's Aunty Trish.

Trish: Hi. Trish Russell.

Ms O’Reilly: Hi, Trish. It's Karen O'Reilly here from school.

Trish: Hi, Karen. What can I do for you?

Ms O’Reilly: Trish, I wanted to talk to you about Dean.

Trish: (Tuts)

Ms O’Reilly: I was wondering if you might have any idea why he's been so tired at school lately? Is there anything wrong?

Trish: I think it's an online thing. It's a game he's playing.

Ms O’Reilly: I see. Look, perhaps if we talked to him together. Would that be possible?

Trish: How about the lunch break? Would that suit you?

A police officer is talking to the class.

Officer: Now, I know you hear a lot about problems on the internet. But there's another way of looking at it. Any ideas?

Ryan: (imitates robot) Cyber danger.

Class: (laughter)

Teacher: (disapprovingly) Ryan.

Officer: Well, it's not about the dangers you face, but it's about the way you use your phone or tablet to avoid danger.

Claudia puts her hand up.

Officer: Yes?

Claudia: Cyber safety?

Officer: Yes. Which is about being smart so you can enjoy using your gadgets and devices without problems. Remember, don't give your phone number to people you don't know. Think before you send. And free offers are never free. Now, isn't that just being smart?

Dean, Susan and Harry are throwing a ball to each other in the school playground.

Harry: You wanna go for a ride after school? We could build some jumps.

Dean: I don't know. Level 12 awaits.

Ms O’Reilly: Dean. Dean. Your aunt is coming in at lunch time.

Dean: What?

Ms O’Reilly: We need to sort this out, Dean. I'm worried.

Dean: Why?

Ms O’Reilly: Lunchtime, my office.

Harry: What's all that about?

Dean: Nothing.

Ryan and Joel are walking together at school.

Ryan: You think she's right?

Joel: What about?

Ryan: 'Free offers are never free.'

Joel: Don't know. I suppose you have to pay somehow.

Ryan: But my ringtone's free.

Joel: Yeah.

Ryan: Isn't it?

Joel: How would I know?

Ryan: The site said it was free.

Grace and Bianca are standing at their lockers.

Grace: You know it wasn't me, right?

Bianca: Yeah, I know that now, but I don't understand how someone else could have done it.

Grace: I'm trying to think. Who else would know my password, Bee?

Bianca: Well, I do.

Grace: Yeah, but you're my friend.

Bianca: It would be horrible if it was someone else here. Wouldn't it?

Dean, Harry and Susan are sitting in the playground. Harry see that Dean's Aunty has arrived at the school.

Harry: Good luck.

Dean: Thanks.

Dean gets up and heads to Ms O'Reilly's office.

Harry: I warned him. We used to do stuff together. Now all he wants to do is play that stupid game of his.

Susan: I don't get how people let things take over. Do you?

Dean knocks on the door to Ms O'Reilly's office.

Ms O'Reilly: Come in.

Dean: (sighs)

Ollie is siting in the cafe while his mum and Sarah stand behind the counter. Ollie's phone beeps.

Sarah: Who is it?

Ollie: A friend.

Sarah: Which one?

Ollie: A school friend.

Sarah: Who?!

Ollie: You don't know all of my friends.

Sarah: Mum, do you ever check Ollie's phone?

Mum: What do you mean?

Sarah: Like, do you check his messages?

Mum: Should I?

Sarah: Maybe. See you after work.

Trish, Dean and Rosie arrive home from the school. Dean gets out of the car and begins to storm off.

Trish: Dean. Dean!

Dean: Why can't I play my game?

Trish: Because it was taking over.

Dean: Taking over from what?! Collecting eggs? Watching TV?

Trish: You're not getting any sleep.

Dean: It's fun. OK?

Trish: Look, it's become too much.

Dean: You don't understand! You didn't have to phone the school!

Trish: I didn't.

Dean: What?

Trish: Your teacher, she phoned me.

Joel is in his bedroom at home playing Star Warriors. Joel's mum, Wendy, enters.

Wendy: Homework?

Joel: Yes.

Wendy: This has to stop.

Joel: What?

Wendy: You can play for one more hour and then you have to stop. If you can't...

Joel: What?

Wendy: Well, this computer goes into my room.

Joel: Oh, why?

Wendy: Because it is not healthy to be up half the night and it is not good to fall asleep at school. It's not. Is it?

Joel: I don't know.

While Sarah and her friend, Melissa, are shopping for clothes at Designer Op Shop, Melissa receives a message on her mobile phone.

Sarah: Hey, I like these pants.

Melissa: Which ones?

Sarah: What do you think about these ones?

Melissa: Yeah, give them a try.

Sarah: Alright.

Melissa: (looking at phone) Sarah?

Sarah: What?

Melissa: Isn't that your brother?

Sarah arrives home from shopping. Ollie is sleeping on the lounge. His phone beeps.

Sarah: Hey, idiot.

Ollie: What?

Sarah: Nothing. We'll talk in the morning. Idiot.

It's the morning. Sarah and Ollie are in the kitchen. Their mum is in another room.

Ollie: Sarah, don't tell Mum.

Sarah: I think I need to.

Ollie: She'll panic. She won't know what to do.

Sarah: Do you know what to do?

Ollie: I don't have to do anything.

Sarah: Your photos are being sent round. You don't even know those people.

Mum: Come on, guys. We'll be late.

Sarah: We'll talk to Mum now, Ollie.

At school, Claudia, Ryan and Bianca are walking to the break area where Grace and Joel are sitting.

Ryan: Guess what I just found out about that ringtone.

Bianca: That it's cheesy?

Ryan: It's ten bucks a week.

Claudia: What?!

Ryan: On my parents' phone bill. New one every week.

Claudia: Your folks must be happy.

Ryan: Delirious.

Claudia: Gracie, did you find out who got on to your homepage?

Grace: Not yet.

Joel: Have you done anything about it?

Grace: Dad got on to the webmasters, you know? And they shut the page down.

Ryan: Can they find out who it was?

Grace: They're trying.

Ryan: Incarcerate them, I say!

Claudia: It's not worth getting that worked up about it, is it?

Grace: It's not a joke.

Claudia: No. I know that.

Ollie and Sarah's mum is working in the cafe. Ollie enters.

Ollie: Hi, Mum.

Mum: No more pictures, Ollie?

Ollie: I haven't done anything wrong.

Mum: Well, not wrong, but not very clever, your sister says.

Ollie: I've got homework.

Mum: I just worry about you, Ollie.

Dean is out collecting eggs while sister Rosie watches.

Rosie: I'm glad you're not allowed to play that game anymore.

Dean: Yeah, I am.

Rosie: Not all night.

Dean: It's none of your business.

Rosie: It makes you grumpy.

Dean: No, it doesn't.

Rosie: And nasty!

Dean: You're nasty.

Rosie: No, I'm not!

Dean: Why am I nasty?

Rosie: Because you're always tired and that makes you grumpy, Dean. Aunt's right, Deano. It's just a game.

Dean: Yeah, it's a good game, but.

Grace is on her bed at home reading a book. Her Dad enters.

Dad: Alright?

Grace: I'm OK.

Dad: Good. So do you have any idea who might have done it? Someone you gave those photos to? The ones that appeared on your page.

Grace: I didn't give them to anyone. I posted them and somebody changed them.

Dad: If you post something online, Grace, it's out there, everywhere, forever, to be copied, printed. Everything you do – every website you visit, every picture you post – out there.

Grace: I didn't know.

Dad: Anyone who wants to and knows how can find out about everything you do online. Easily. Some things are a bit trickier. Getting on to your homepage - that has to be someone who knew your password.

Grace: It can't be.

Sarah and Ollie are at home with their mum, who is preparing dinner.

Sarah: I'll serve up dinner, Mum.

Mum: Thanks, love.

Mum: (to Ollie) You shouldn't send any pictures to people you don't know.

Ollie: I know! But I thought... We've talked about it, OK?

Mum: Well, people could use it. They could trick you. Or pretend things about you.

Ollie: But they were people wanting to be friends with me.

Sarah: Ollie, you send things out and they're everywhere. And you don't really know who you're talking to. Do you?

Ollie: But nothing's happened.

Sarah: Yes, but you understand that it's not a good idea? Right, Ollie?

Ollie: Yes, I understand.

Dean and Harry are in the school playground.

Dean: Have I been grumpy?

Harry: Compared to what?

Dean: Don't know.

Harry: Not compared to my gran.

Dean: My sister says I'm grumpy.

Harry: Well, if you didn't play Star Warriors all night... You are a bit of an addict.

Dean: No, I'm not.

Harry: When do you ever hang out with us?

Dean: It sort of creeps up on you. Play an extra minute, an extra ten minutes, another hour. Aunt's freaking out.

Harry: What are you gonna do?

Dean: I need to get to level 12.

At school, the bell rings. Ryan, Joel and Bianca pack up to leave class.

Joel: Are your folks stopping your allowance?

Ryan: Why?

Joel: Keep paying for those free ringtones.

Ryan: Oh, yeah. (Chuckles) Right.

Bianca: Are they?

Ryan: If a thing seems too good to be true, then it's too good to be true. Cost me the big bucks to find that out.

Joel: You must have agreed to pay.

Ryan: Nah.

Bianca: You must have agreed to something.

Ryan: No. Well, the terms.

Joel: You agreed to the terms?!

Ryan: I didn't read the terms. Nobody reads the terms.

Bianca: And that's why it's costing you the big bucks.

At school, Grace and Claudia are chatting. Ryan, Joel and Bianca approach.

Joel: Grace. Gracie! Any updates on your page?

Ryan: Looking for leads like CSI.

Joel: Except it's not a TV show.

Grace: It has to be someone I told my password to.

Ryan: But you wouldn't tell anyone.

Joel: Would you?

Bianca: She might tell a friend.

Joel: A friend wouldn't...

Claudia: Why are you making such a big fuss out of this? If you jsut ignore it, it'll...

Ryan: But it's serious.

Bianca: It's horrible.

Claudia: It was just a joke! It was a joke.

Ollie walks into the cafe where his mum is working. Ollie puts his phone on the counter in front of his mum.

Mum: What?

Ollie: I don't want it anymore.

Mum: Why not?

Ollie: They all want to be friends with me.

Mum: Good.

Ollie: Who are they, Mum?

Mum: Well, who did they say they are?

Ollie: Kids. From all around the country.

Mum: That's alright, then. That's good.

Ollie: Sarah says you can't know who they are. Or what they want. I shouldn't have posted my picture.

Mum: So, what can you do?

Ollie: If I ignore them, delete them, they'll go away.

Mum: So you should.

Ollie: Yeah.

Mum: Good. So take it and have fun with it. Just be clever.

Ollie: OK. Thanks, Mum.

Mum: Oh, and teach me how to use the computer!

Ollie: OK!

Claudia, Bianca, Grace, Joel and Ryan are gathered outside at school.

Ryan: (sighs) OK, Claudia, go on.

Claudia: I used Grace's password. And I... I only meant it as a joke. I'm really sorry.

Bianca: I don't understand how you thought it was a joke.

Grace: Claudia?

Joel: It's stupid.

Claudia: I know. I'm sorry.

Grace: It's OK. I believe you.

Dean and Joel are at their homes playing Star Warriors online. 

Both: Yes!

Dean: Good moves, Blaster. Good session.

Joel: Same time tomorrow?

Dean: Same. It's OK, isn't it?

Joel: It's not too bad. We'll get to level 12.

Dean: You'd better watch out for those battle cruisers.

Dean puts turns off his game and goes outside to meet Harry. Together, they ride off on their bikes.

#GameOn short film

#GameOn is an eSafety video following the online experiences of a group of lower secondary students who find themselves in situations that catch them off-guard and teach them the consequences of making poor decisions online.
Visual Audio

Teenagers play soccer. Chloe walks off the field and Ben catches up and puts his arm around her shoulder. Kate takes photos of Chloe and Ben while talking to Em.

Kate: Hey, check this out.

Em: Is that Chloe?

Kate: Yep.

Later, Raz, Kate and Em are walking into class together at school. Razz is looking at the photo of Chloe and Ben on Kate's phone.

Kate: Did I show you the picture?

Em: Oh, my God.

Teacher: Righto guys, grab a chair thanks. Come on, quick. Grab a chair, please.

Raz: Are you going to send it to Jack?

Kate: Nah, let's put it on the blog.

Kate takes her phone back. She notices Jack a couple of rows back, his arm around Chloe. Kate smirks and sits down.

Kate: Look behind me, to my left.

Raz glances at Chloe and Jack.

Raz: I can't believe he's here.

Later in the school yard, Kate, Em and Raz huddle over a laptop and begin to make a blog post using the pic of Chloe and Ben.

Em: Blog it.

Kate types the post while reading it aloud.

Kate: Guess who. These starcrossed lovers must keep their passion secret

Raz: Passion?

Kate: You're interrupting my flow... (typing) must keep their passion secret. Who knows what will happen after the bell rings? One thing's for sure, it will be a tragedy if her BF finds out.

Kate signs off the blog post with 'By random person' and clicks 'Publish post'. The blog post goes live on the internet. 

Em: Do it.

The next day, in the locker room at school, three girls crowd around a phone. Em is putting her shoes on nearby. 

Girl: Oh, my God. Hey, Em, check this out.

Em walks over.

Em: Yeah?

Girl: Chloe's shagging Ben.

Em looks at the girl and smiles. Elsewhere, Raz is in a toilet cubicle and a group of girls walks into the toilets. 

Girl 1: Oh, she's such a skank.

Girl 2: He is kind of hot, but.

Girl 3: Gross, just because he's in year 12.

Girl 2: Have you seen the photo?

Girl 3: Yeah, I hear he had his hand up her skirt.

Girl 1: I wonder what Jack thinks.

Raz listens and smiles. Then she runs through the hall. She passes Chloe rushing out of a room, crying. Kate is in the library, looking at her laptop. Raz runs up to her.

Kate: Hey.

Raz: Hi, I just saw Chloe.

Kate: Shh, we're in the library.

Raz: She seemed pretty pissed off.

Kate: Yeah, check out all the comments.

Raz: Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

They look at a series of insults about Chloe's sex life. Later, students hang around out the front of the school. Em and Raz sit together.

Em: Hey, check this out. Bec texted it to me. It's everywhere.

Raz sees Jack walk outside and rush over to where Ben stands with his friends. They start to fight and people film it on their phones. 

Raz: Oh, shit.

Crowd: Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight, fight...

The video of the fight is posted online. Raz is at home looking at it while on the phone.

Raz: Yeah, it's called Narraville High Big Hitz. Hitz with a 'z'.

Raz is on the phone to Kate, who looks at the video.

Kate: Oh God, I wish I had seen this. This is even better. Jack's such a girl. I'm going to post this on the blog, okay.

Raz: (hesitates).

Kate: What?

Raz: I don't know, I just thought this was just meant to be fun.

Kate: This is fun.

Raz: It's not really for Jack.

Kate: Raz, he deserves everything he gets.

The next day, Jack sits in class with a black eye. Two students are reading Romeo and Juliet to the class. Kate watched Raz and Em talk.

Teacher: Okay, let's start again from top of the page.

Student: And what love can do that dares love attempt. Therefore thy kinsman...

Em: I hear there is a film crew out front.

Raz: Filming what?

Em: I don't know.

A woman stands in the doorway.

Teacher: Keep going.

Student reading: Alack, there lies more peril in thine eyes and twenty of their swords. Look thou but sweet.

The woman whispers to the teacher. The teacher goes to Jack. Jack takes his books and leaves.

Teacher: Hey Jack, Mr Smith is expecting you in his office. You might need to grab your books.

That night, Kate watches the news on her laptop.

Newsreader: Police are investigating the filming of a school yard brawl. The footage has been uploaded to a popular video sharing website under title 'Big Hitz' and has been seen by thousands of people. The parents of a student involved have made a complaint to both the school and the police and an investigation has been launched.

Em calls Kate's phone. Kate answers.

Kate: Hey. Yeah, I just saw it.

t another house, Raz eats dinner with her parents.

Raz's mum: Razi, did you see the news story tonight about a fight at your school on the internet?

Raz: Mmm.

Mum: Do you know these students?

Raz: Yeah, apparently they're in my class.

Raz's dad: I'm so glad you're not involved.

The next day, Em, Raz and Kate sit in the cafeteria at school.

Kate: We didn't film the fight.

Raz: Yeah, but we started it.

Kate: That's bullshit. Jack's a big boy.

Raz: They're going to look at the blog.

Kate: So? It's probably on a million websites by now.

Em: Yeah, well maybe Raz is right. Maybe we should take the fight off.

Raz: And the photos of Ben and Chloe.

Kate: Okay. I'll take it all off.

Raz: I think we should say something.

Kate: What?

Raz: We should apologise.

Kate: To who? Jack, Chloe?

Raz: Yeah.

Kate: What do you think's going to happen? They're not just going to forget about it. What will your folks think? Your mum will have a heart attack - the perfect daughter.

Raz: I don't care.

Kate: I wonder what she'd think if she saw those photos from Jack's party.

A series of photos shows Raz drinking alcohol at a party. kissing boys, drunk next to a toilet and passed out on the ground. Back in the cafeteria, Raz looks worried.

Kate: What she doesn't know won't hurt her, right, isn't that what you always say?

Jack calls Kate from across the room. Kate smiles at him. 

Jack: Kate.

Kate: Hey.

Kate: (speaking to Raz) Maybe I could ask Jack to take the gallery down. We're in this together.

Kate gets up and leaves with Jack. Em looks shocked as she watched Kate and then Raz leave.

The next day, Raz is looking at a textbook in the library. Em walks in and over to Raz.

Em: Hey. Are you avoiding us?

Raz: You heard her threaten me.

Em: Come on, Kate didn't mean it.

Raz: Yeah, it's all meant to be fun, right?

Em: Mmm. Have you said anything to anyone?

Raz: No.

Em: If you're going to say something you'd tell me first, yeah? Yeah, well, see you in class.

Em leaves, passing Jack as he enters the library. Raz sees him.

Raz: Hey Jack, can I talk to you for a second?

Jack: Yeah, sure. What's up?

Later, Raz is getting books out of her locker. Nearby, boys crowd around a phone. Kate walks down the hall. She passes some boys.

Boy 1: Hey, twinkle twinkle little star.

Boy 2: Hey, Twinkle, nice bod.

Kate grabs Raz and pulls her towards the toilets.

Boy 3: Oh, come on, don't be so shy. You weren't so shy in those photos.

In the toilets, she pulls out her phone and shows Raz a photo.

Kate: Look at this.

Raz: Is that you?

Kate: Jack and I took it when we were going out. Now he's sent it to everyone.

Raz: You can't even really tell it's you.

Kate: There are others and they're not just closeups.

Raz: Well how much do they show?

Kate looks upset but doesn't reply.

Raz: Why are you showing me?

Kate: Why did you tell him?

Raz: Well you should have told Jack yourself, it wasn't fair.

Kate: Oh, is this fair?

Kate holds up the phone. Other girls enter and Kate storms out. Later, Raz is at home, talking to her mum and crying. They hold hands.

The next day, Raz is with her mum, talking to the school principal. Later, the principal stands up the front of a class. Jack, Kate and Em all stand and leave with principal while the others watch. Later again, Em sits and waits with her mum in the school office. Jac and his dad arrive. Kate and her mum leave the principal's office. Then, the principal talks to Jack and his dad. A police officer sits next to the principal. Later, Jack's dad drives Jack home.

Dad: What have you got to say?

Jack: I said I'm sorry.

Dad: I don't know what's wrong with you. First you get in a fight, and then this thing with...

Jake: Kate.

Dad: If you end up on a register for sex offenders... You'll be lucky if they don't charge you.

Back at school, Raz walks to her locker. She passes Kate's locker, which is now covered with drawings of stars. She opens her own locker and pulls books out. She sees Em further down packing her bag. Raz looks away and Em walks past without acknowledging her.

It's a new day, Kate sits in the car with her mum out the front of a different school.

Kate's mum: So my phone will be on all day, all right, so you call me any time.

Kate: Mum. I asked to come here.

Mum: I know. I love you.

Kate: I love you too.

Inside the school, a teacher takes Kate to her new locker.

Teacher: So which school have you come from?

Kate: Narraville.

Teacher: Once we've finished here, I'll take you over to your home room. Now, you get two keys, but don't lose them because they cost $20 to replace.

Kate: Okay.

Teacher: There you go.

Kate sits in class. Other people raise their hands to answer questions.

Teacher: So Lois XIV was the Sun King and he had the divine right. Can anybody tell me what we think the divine right of a king is?

After class, Kate goes to her locker. People have drawn stars on it. Girls nearby watch her and laugh. Kate grabs her books and walks away upset. Later, Kate sits alone outside, looking at her new class timetable. A girl sees her and approaches.

Lou: Hey. You don't recognise me, do you?

Kate: No.

Lou: I'm Lou, we met at Jack's party.

Kate: Right, I'm Kate.

Lou: I know, I've seen your photos. But don't worry, I mean, it will be old news soon.

Kate: Yeah, that's what my counselor says.

Lou: So what have you got now?

Kate: I think maths.

The girls both look at Kate's timetable.

Lou: This is semester one. Here. Semester two, see?

Kate: So I've got English.

Lou: Do you know where you're going?

Kate: Not really.

Lou: I'll show you.

Kate picks up her books and the two girls walk away together.

Tagged – when it all gets out of hand

What happens when a group of high-school friends post an online rumour about a rival? This award-winning video is part of a suite of resources that explore the impacts of cyberbullying and sharing intimate images. Subtitled in multiple languages.
Audio

This video is a dramatic scenario used to provoke thought about showing respect to other people online. It features a teenage male and female, played by actors. The teenage male walks into his room, sits at his desk and looks at his computer.

He opens a social media website and reads a post

Sarah has posted a photo of a girl with the caption “Indy Mindy thought I was actually taking a photo!

Other users post nasty comments “Would not go there if you paid me”, and “Loser!”

The teenage male looks angry and starts typing a comment “Someone get this bitch a mirror!” but pauses before submitting the post.

The camera zooms into the photo, changing the situation from a photo to the real life scene as the camera pans around the main girl. Various comments appear as text in the air around her.

The camera shows the young man standing in the real life scenario, looking concerned about all of the nasty comments made by others.

The camera pans around the teenage male who appears back in his home sitting at his computer with his comment still on the screen unposted

He shakes his head, highlights the text from his comment and deletes it.The teenage male sits back and looks relieved. Text appears “I respect differences”

Logo shows the Australian coat of arms above the words Australian Government, and the eSafety Commissioner with the web address esafety.gov.au

The power to understand and respect differences

Respect works both ways and if you want respect you have to give it as well.
Visual

This video is a dramatic scenario used to provoke thought about displaying personal resilience while online. It features a teenage female locking herself in a bathroom to avoid four female peers. The females are played by actors.

Stacey runs down an alley, pursued by a group of girls.

Stacey runs into a community centre bathroom and locks the door of her stall just as a youth worker exits the second stall

Veronica, the group leader, pushes the bathroom door open but stops abruptly when she sees the youth worker at the sink. She turns and exits.

Stacey’s phone pings with a message notification.

The girls stand outside on their phones, texting Stacey.

Stacey’s phone pings repeatedly, with the texts popping up in conversation bubbles around her, reading “feelin @ home in the toilet w/all the other scum??” and “ur the reason deodorant exists” amongst them

As the notifications stream in rapidly, Stacey gets increasingly agitated. She begins to cry and puts her hands over her ears to block the text sounds.

A mid shot of Veronica, relentlessly texting.Stacey brings her hands down and stares at the wall, her attention grabbed by a graffiti quote that says “THEY DON’T WRITE YOUR STORY...YOU DO.”

Stacey stares at the quote, its meaning sinking in.

Veronica and her group enter the community centre, heading for the bathroom.

Stacey opens the bathroom door and faces Veronica.

Veronica stops in disbelief.Stacey walks past them, head held high and exits the community centre with the group following her.

The group heckle Stacey who walks on, unaffected

The music builds as Stacey puts on her headphones, drowning out the insults. She walks on, a small smile on her face

Logo shows the Australian coat of arms above the words Australian Government, and the eSafety Commissioner with the web address esafety.gov.au

The power to bounce back

Resilience is emotional strength.

Are you the target of online abuse?

If you are experiencing online abuse from students or others in your school community, find out more about adult cyber abuse and how to report it. 

We also run a professional learning program about digital rights and responsibilities that includes supportive information for educators who are themselves dealing with online abuse.

Report cyberbullying to eSafety

If the content is seriously harmful, and the service or platform does not help, a child or young person under 18 (or an adult they have authorised to help them) can report it to eSafety using our online form.

REPORT NOW

Last updated: 06/09/2024