Action Plan against Cyberbullying
Summary
The Commission will present a comprehensive EU approach to prevent, detect and respond to cyberbullying, with a primary focus on minors and youth. It will set a common EU definition, promote national strategies and focal points (e.g. trusted flaggers), and prioritise vulnerable groups including girls and women, LGBTIQ youth, migrants and persons with disabilities. Actions span prevention and digital well-being, safer product design, streamlined reporting and takedown (scaling good practices like France’s App 3018), victim support, and proportionate responses to perpetrators. Delivery will leverage and enforce the DSA, BIK+ and victims/VAW directives, with progress monitored through Safer Internet Centres, BIK policy reports and DSA enforcement.
Action items
1.expand the focus on tackling cyberbullying in the review of the DSA guidelines on the protection of minors, in particular with regard to measures to further prevent exposure to harmful content, and to improve the reporting systems of online platforms - scheduled in 2026;
2.adopt DSA guidelines on trusted flaggers which will help clarify their role in tackling illegal content, such as illegal cyberbullying, – by Q2 2026;
3.assess ways to address cyberbullying on video sharing platforms in the ongoing evaluation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) and its review – by Q3 2026;
4.support the effective implementation of the AI Act provisions on prohibited AI practices, including when they are used for cyberbullying, through coordination within the AI Board and the guidance provided with the Commission guidelines on prohibited AI practices – from Q3 2026;
5.facilitate the effective implementation of the AI Act transparency obligations, including through a code of practice on marking and labelling of AI-generated content, which aims to support compliance with the AI Act transparency obligations related to marking and labelling of AI-generated content, including that used for cyberbullying – from Q3 2026.
6.address cyberbullying in the update of the guidelines for teachers and educators on tackling disinformation and promoting digital literacy through education and training– by Q2 2026;
7.strengthen citizenship educationin schools through an EU citizenship competence framework and guidelines – in 2027;
8.strengthen digital competence, cyberbullying prevention and digital well-being through the 2030 roadmap on the future of digital education and skills – by Q3 2026;
9.contribute to cyberbullying prevention in the forthcoming EU action plan on the protection of children against crime – by Q3 2026
10.expand cyberbullying resources and training for schools and for non-formal and informal education, accessible for persons with disabilities, via the BIK platform, the SICs, the European Youth Portal, and the European School education Platform – from Q2 2026;
11.support the Open Method of Coordination group on the fight against hate speech in sport in its work on recommendations for countering cyberbullying in the sport environment – report due by Q4 2026.
12.support the roll out across Member States of an accessible online safety app for easy reporting of cyberbullying, adapted to national contexts, in synergies with existing reporting mechanisms, including helplines and hotlines, fostering multidisciplinary support online as well as offline – from Q3 2026;
13.address child victims and online victimisation, which may include cyberbullying, in the next EU strategy on victims’ rights – 2026.