EU member state · European Union
Austria: cyberbullying law for schools
Bottom line for counselors: The law sets some anti-bullying rules but leaves much of the detail to schools, and online bullying is only partly covered. Check your school's own policy. Takedown help is limited, so report harmful posts to the platform first. Serious online abuse can be a crime.
Last verified: checked against official sources on 11 November 2026.
EU member state
Austria
Phone ban to grade 8 and a specific cyberbullying offence in the Criminal Code.
Compare with anywhere elseProtection score
One point for each of the seven questions answered yes, half a point for partly. Where a rule is set nationally, the national answer counts. A quick guide, not a legal rating.
- Partly:
Do schools have to have anti-bullying rules?
Partly. Schools must keep pupils safe, and the ministry provides anti-violence and anti-bullying programmes, but there is no dedicated bullying law.
- Partly:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Partly. School rules address bullying generally; how online bullying is handled depends on the school.
- Partly:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
Partly. Under the EU Digital Services Act, platforms must act on reports of illegal content, trusted flaggers get priority, and you can complain to the national Digital Services Coordinator. There is no national body that orders individual posts down for bullying alone.
Legal detail and sources
The national Safer Internet Centre runs a helpline that can escalate cases to platforms.
- Partly:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No ban in force. Children can sign up to apps that use their data from age 14 without a parent's consent.
Legal detail and sources
This is the 'digital age of consent' each country sets under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), article 8. An EU KIDS Act proposed in September 2026 would bar under-13s from social media EU-wide and set 15 as the age for a child's own account; it is not yet law.
- Yes:
What are the rules on phones at school?
Phones, smartwatches and similar devices are banned for the whole school day up to grade 8, including breaks and school trips, since 1 May 2025.
Legal detail and sources
Change to the Schulordnung 2024 (School Regulation 2024), BGBl. II Nr. 80/2025. Schools may allow use for lessons or medical reasons.
- Yes:
When is online abuse a crime?
Yes. Austria has a specific cyberbullying offence for ongoing harassment through phones or computers.
Legal detail and sources
Official name: § 107c Strafgesetzbuch, Fortgesetzte Belästigung im Wege einer Telekommunikation oder eines Computersystems (Criminal Code section 107c, continued harassment by telecommunication or computer system), in force since 2016.
- Partly:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Guidance comes from the education ministry and the national Safer Internet Centre, which offers a helpline and resources for schools.
Legal detail and sources
The EU's 2026 Action plan against cyberbullying promises more training and resources for schools.
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