Nation of the United Kingdom · UK & Ireland
Northern Ireland: cyberbullying law for schools
Bottom line for counselors: Schools must have anti-bullying rules, but online bullying is only partly covered. A regulator can order harmful posts taken down. Serious online abuse can be a crime.
Last verified: checked against official sources on 11 November 2026.
Nation of the United Kingdom
Northern Ireland
A dedicated anti-bullying law; every incident must be recorded.
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.
- Yes:
Do schools have to have anti-bullying rules?
Yes. A specific law requires every school to have anti-bullying measures and to record every incident.
Legal detail and sources
Addressing Bullying in Schools Act (Northern Ireland) 2016, in force 1 September 2021. It defines bullying, including by electronic means.
- Partly:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Partly. The law covers online bullying, and lets (but does not require) schools to act on it outside school.
Legal detail and sources
Section 2(b) allows measures for bullying that happens outside school, including online, where it affects the pupil's education.
- Set nationally:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
Yes. Ofcom enforces the Online Safety Act, which requires platforms to protect children from harmful content.
Legal detail and sources
Online Safety Act 2023. Ofcom's Protection of Children Codes took effect 25 July 2025. Ofcom regulates platforms' systems; it does not take down individual posts on request, so families report to the platform first.
- Partly:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No ban. Children can consent to data use by apps from age 13; platforms must keep children away from harmful content.
Legal detail and sources
UK data protection law (Data Protection Act 2018 s9) sets the digital age of consent at 13. Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must use effective age checks to stop children seeing the most harmful content.
- Partly:
What are the rules on phones at school?
Schools decide, with department guidance issued in autumn 2024.
- Yes:
When is online abuse a crime?
Sending threats, knowingly false harmful messages, or grossly offensive messages can be a crime.
Legal detail and sources
Online Safety Act 2023 created new offences from 31 January 2024: false communications (s179) and threatening communications (s181, up to 5 years). Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 and the Malicious Communications Act 1988 still cover grossly offensive messages. Some offences apply differently in Scotland.
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. Schools must record incidents and their motivation.
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