News
Toxic Emojis: A Hidden Language in Cyberbullying
Emojis aren’t always harmless—some are being used by teens to mock, threaten or exclude peers. 🐍 might imply betrayal, 🍆 can reference sexual harassment, and 💀 may symbolize humiliation or mockery. While subtle, these symbols carry powerful emotional weight.
As the school year ends, students spend more unsupervised time online. These emojis often appear in TikTok comments, group chats, or Instagram posts as part of bullying tactics that go unnoticed by adults.
Recognize and act:
– Discuss emoji meanings in class: decoding builds media literacy.
– Watch for clustered emojis—multiple symbols together heighten meaning.
– Use classroom activities to decode emojis: show examples and discuss intent.
– Teach students to pause, screenshot, and talk—help them understand options like blocking or reporting.
To learn more: Emoji as Threats in Student Messages and Social Media – Cyberbullying Research Center
Stop Cyberbullying Day – June 20, 2025: Empower Your School Now
On June 20, 2025, the Cybersmile Foundation will host the 14th annual Stop Cyberbullying Day, a global campaign uniting schools, NGOs, governments, and the private sector to foster kindness online under the hashtag #STOPCYBERBULLYINGDAY
Why join?
– Publicly demonstrate your school’s stance against cyberbullying.
– Align with an international movement that values digital respect and inclusion.
Get involved now – Free toolkits & promotional materials:
Stop Cyberbullying Day – Official Campaign Page
School Bullying: Key Findings from France’s 2023 National Survey
In February 2024, France’s Ministry of Education released the first national indicators from its 2023 school bullying survey, conducted in nearly 680 public schools across the country. Out of the 17,400 students from 3rd grade (CE2) to 12th grade (Terminale) who took part, the results show that bullying affected more than one student per classroom on average:
- 5% of elementary school students (around 319 out of 6,374)
- 6% of middle school students (around 236 out of 3,932)
- 4% of high school students (284 out of 7,098)
The survey also revealed that nearly 17% of elementary students (3rd to 5th grade) reported being “often” or “very often” targeted by false rumors. TRALALERE, a French organization committed to youth education and well-being, directly addresses this issue in its “Stop la violence!” program. This initiative raises awareness among young people about the impact of rumors and equips them with practical tools to respond and protect themselves.
May 17: Taking a Stand Against LGBT+phobia!
Did you know? In France, in 2023, 7% of victims of LGBT+phobia were under the age of 15.
This alarming statistic highlights just how important it is to better understand LGBT+phobias in order to more effectively combat them. On this International Day Against LGBT+phobia, TRALALERE, through its educational program Stop the Violence!, is launching a new interactive investigation designed to raise young people’s awareness about harassment linked to LGBT+phobic and sexist violence, especially in sports settings.
And if you’d like to take it further and if you speak French, TRALALERE has also published an article to help you learn more about violence against LGBT+ individuals.
Tackling Cyberbullying: The European Commission Gives Young People a Voice
On March 25, 2025, as part of its action plan against cyberbullying, the European Commission brought together a working group made up of various key stakeholders: members of the Safer Internet Centers, representatives from NGOs committed to tackling cyberbullying, as well as parents, teenagers, and educators.
Because their voices matter, young people were actively involved in the discussions. Working from real-life scenarios that reflected situations they could personally relate to, they explored the complex challenges surrounding cyberbullying. The goal was to highlight what’s really happening on the ground and co-create practical, realistic solutions, by comparing their perspectives with those of adults.
Naturally, TRALALERE took part in this initiative through its Internet Sans Crainte program, contributing to the working group and drawing on insights from young people and field experts with whom the organization regularly collaborates to develop its educational digital resources.
“No to Bullying” Contest: The French Ministry of Education Announces the 2025 Winners
Each year, France’s Ministry of National Education organizes the « Non au harcèlement » (“No to Bullying”) contest to raise awareness about bullying in schools. Open to students from ages 6 to 18, the competition invites them to create posters or short videos that speak out against bullying and promote kindness and inclusion.
Now in its 12th year, the contest once again highlighted students’ strong engagement with a topic that directly affects them. Through their creative work, they aimed to foster safer, more caring school environments and inspire long-term anti-bullying initiatives within schools.
If you speak French, you can explore the 2025 winning entries here: See the winners.
Thursday, November 7 – International Day against Violence and Harassment in Schools
Initiated by UNESCO, this day officially recognizes that all forms of school violence violate children’s and adolescents’ rights to education, health, and well-being. It is also an opportunity to mobilize governments, international organizations, and civil society.
With Stop Violence!, we offer ready-to-use sessions designed to raise awareness and take action against harassment among middle and high school students, tailored to your audience.
Prepare your session now by consulting our educational resources.
Stop Violence! grand prize winner from the European Commission
Each year, the Safer Internet associations of European countries come together to vote for the best educational resource in the European Commission’s Better Internet for Kids competition.
This year, Stop Violence! was awarded as the top educational resource for raising awareness about bullying. Thanks to this recognition, we are now able to offer some of our content in English, helping us reach even more young people and join forces in the fight against harassment.
