Lantern · South America
South AmericaCyberbullying law, country by country
South America has no regional rulebook for school bullying, but eight of the nine countries here have a national law that makes schools prevent or respond to it, and most cover cyberbullying. Brazil has gone furthest, making bullying a crime and requiring parental links for under-16 social media accounts, and classroom phone bans are spreading fast. Here is what applies where, in plain English.
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Profiles of countries in South America
Country
Argentina
A national school coexistence law since 2013; phone rules and anti-bullying laws are set by each province.
Compare with anywhere else Open the full page for ArgentinaProtection 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. Law 26.892 (2013) on promoting coexistence in schools requires every school to adopt a coexistence agreement and provides specialist teams to help schools deal with violence.
Legal detail and sources
Ley 26.892, Ley para la promoción de la convivencia y el abordaje de la conflictividad social en las instituciones educativas. The Federal Education Council's Resolution 217/14 sets out a federal guide for handling complex situations, and provinces have passed their own laws, such as Buenos Aires Province Law 14.750.
- Partly:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Partly. The national law does not name online bullying, but federal guidance and provincial rules tell schools how to deal with harassment on social media.
Legal detail and sources
Bills for a national strategy against school bullying and cyberbullying have been introduced in Congress but not passed.
- Partly:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
Partly. There is no online safety regulator, but under Ley Olimpia (2023) courts can order platforms to take down content involving digital gender-based violence.
Legal detail and sources
Ley 27.736 added digital violence to the national law on violence against women (Ley 26.485).
- No:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No legal minimum age for social media.
- Partly:
What are the rules on phones at school?
No national rule. Provinces decide: Buenos Aires City bans phones during the school day at every level, and Buenos Aires Province restricts them in primary schools (Law 15.534, 2025).
Legal detail and sources
Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (KCH Comunicación), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- Partly:
When is online abuse a crime?
Partly. There is no bullying offence, but online grooming of children is a crime (Penal Code article 131), and threats and injurias can apply.
Legal detail and sources
Ley 26.904 (2013) created the grooming offence; Ley 27.590 (2020, 'Mica Ortega') set up a national prevention programme.
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. The law sets up specialist support teams for schools and calls for training of school staff on coexistence.
Legal detail and sources
Country
Bolivia
New 2 February 2026: Bolivia bans phones in classrooms (Ministerial Resolution 0001/2026)
The Children's Code names cyberbullying as a form of school violence, and phones are banned in classrooms since 2026.
Compare with anywhere else Open the full page for BoliviaProtection 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. The Code for Girls, Boys and Adolescents (Law 548, 2014) lists the types of violence in the school system, including peer violence, and requires prevention and protection measures.
Legal detail and sources
Ley 548, Código Niña, Niño y Adolescente, article 151. The Ministry of Education's protocol on physical, psychological and sexual violence in schools (Ministerial Resolution 0864/2019) sets the steps schools must follow.
- Yes:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Yes. Article 151 includes 'cyber violence in the education system': harassing, threatening, defaming or humiliating someone through apps, social networks or other digital means.
- No:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
No online safety regulator that orders removal of bullying content.
- No:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No legal minimum age for social media.
- Yes:
What are the rules on phones at school?
Yes. Ministerial Resolution 0001/2026, in force since February 2026, bans the use of phones in classrooms by students and teachers.
Legal detail and sources
Article 45 of the resolution. The deputy minister linked the measure to preventing cyberbullying. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Los Tiempos), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- Partly:
When is online abuse a crime?
Partly. There is no bullying offence, but defamation and some online harms are crimes, and the Children's Code sets responses for violence against children.
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. The ministry's protocol tells principals and teachers how to prevent, act on and report violence in schools.
Country
Brazil
New 17 March 2026: Brazil: the ECA Digital requires under-16 social media accounts to be linked to a parent
A national anti-bullying programme since 2015, cyberbullying a crime since 2024, a phone ban in schools and new under-16 social media rules.
Compare with anywhere else Open the full page for BrazilProtection 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. Law 13.185 (2015) created the national Programme to Combat Systematic Intimidation (Bullying), and every school must take steps to prevent and combat it.
Legal detail and sources
Lei 13.185/2015 makes prevention a duty of schools, clubs and recreational associations. Lei 13.663/2018 added the duty to the national education law (LDB, article 12), and Lei 14.811/2024 set further measures against violence in schools. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Migalhas) as well as official sources.
- Yes:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Yes. The 2015 law defines cyberbullying as using online tools to belittle someone, incite violence or tamper with photos and personal data.
Legal detail and sources
Lei 13.185/2015, article 2, sole paragraph.
- Yes:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
Yes. The National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), now a regulatory agency, enforces the ECA Digital's duties on platforms to protect children.
Legal detail and sources
Lei 15.352/2026 turned the ANPD into a regulatory agency. Fines under the ECA Digital can reach R$50 million. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Canaltech), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- Yes:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
Yes. Since 17 March 2026, under the ECA Digital, children under 12 cannot open social media accounts, and accounts for users under 16 must be linked to a parent or guardian.
Legal detail and sources
Lei 15.211/2025, the Estatuto Digital da Criança e do Adolescente. Platforms must use reliable age checks; self-declared ages are not enough. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Congresso em Foco and Canaltech) as well as official sources.
- Yes:
What are the rules on phones at school?
Yes. Since January 2025, Law 15.100 bars students from using phones and other personal devices in class, at recess and during breaks, in public and private schools.
Legal detail and sources
Exceptions cover teaching use, accessibility, health and emergencies.
- Yes:
When is online abuse a crime?
Yes. Since January 2024, bullying is a crime punishable by a fine, and cyberbullying carries 2 to 4 years in prison and a fine.
Legal detail and sources
Penal Code article 146-A, added by Lei 14.811/2024. Young people under 18 are dealt with under the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA).
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. The 2015 law calls for training teachers and school teams to prevent and deal with bullying.
Country
Chile
New 2 March 2026: Chile: Law 21.801 bans phones in schools from the start of the school year
A school violence law since 2011 covers bullying by technological means, and a national phone ban began with the 2026 school year.
Compare with anywhere else Open the full page for ChileProtection 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. The School Violence Law (Law 20.536, 2011) requires every school to have a coexistence management plan and a school coexistence officer.
Legal detail and sources
Ley 20.536 sobre Violencia Escolar added articles 16 A to 16 E to the General Education Law. Schools must set out procedures and penalties in their internal rules.
- Yes:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Yes. The law's definition of school harassment covers acts carried out 'by technological means' as well as in person.
Legal detail and sources
Article 16 B. A 2026 bill would set specific duties on schools to prevent and respond to digital harm. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Diario Constitucional) as well as official sources.
- No:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
No online safety regulator that orders removal of bullying content.
- No:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No legal minimum age for social media.
- Yes:
What are the rules on phones at school?
Yes. Law 21.801, in force from the start of the 2026 school year, bans phones, tablets and smartwatches in schools as a general rule, with set exceptions. Schools had until 30 June 2026 to update their rules.
Legal detail and sources
Exceptions include teaching use, health needs, disability and a parent's justified safety request. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Emol) as well as official sources.
- Partly:
When is online abuse a crime?
Partly. There is no bullying offence, but threats, injurias and sharing intimate images can be crimes. Teenagers aged 14 to 17 fall under the juvenile criminal responsibility law.
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. Every school must have a coexistence officer who carries out the measures set by the school council or coexistence committee.
Legal detail and sources
Country
Colombia
New 16 July 2026: Colombia: Decree 0769 requires schools to set response routes for cyberbullying
A national school coexistence system since 2013 covers cyberbullying, and 2026 laws require schools to set routes for digital violence.
Compare with anywhere else Open the full page for ColombiaProtection 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. Law 1620 of 2013 created the National School Coexistence System. Every school must have a school coexistence committee and a coexistence manual with a response route.
Legal detail and sources
Decree 1965 of 2013 sorts cases into Type I, II and III situations, each with its own procedure.
- Yes:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Yes. Law 1620 defines school cyberbullying, and since 2026 coexistence manuals must include routes and protocols for cyberbullying and other digital violence.
Legal detail and sources
Ley 2564 de 2026 (8 January 2026) defines forms of digital violence including cyberbullying, grooming and sextortion. Decreto 0769 de 2026 (16 July 2026), which implements Ley 2489 de 2025, requires schools to update their manuals. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Noticias Caracol) as well as official sources.
- Partly:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
Partly. The ICT Ministry implements the safe digital environments law, but the 2026 decree created no new sanctions for platforms.
Legal detail and sources
Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Asuntos Legales (Dentons)) as well as official sources.
- No:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No legal minimum age for social media; the 2025 law and 2026 decree chose shared responsibility over a ban.
Legal detail and sources
Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Asuntos Legales (Dentons)), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- Partly:
What are the rules on phones at school?
No national ban. Schools set phone rules in their coexistence manuals, and cities such as Bogotá are restricting phones in public schools.
Legal detail and sources
Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Portafolio), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- Partly:
When is online abuse a crime?
Partly. There is no bullying offence, but injuria, calumnia and threats are crimes. Teenagers aged 14 to 17 are handled by the juvenile criminal responsibility system.
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. Each school's coexistence committee activates the response routes, and the system calls for training of teachers and school leaders.
Legal detail and sources
Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Noticias Caracol), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
Country
Ecuador
School harassment has been a penal contravention since 2021, and younger students may not use phones at school.
Compare with anywhere else Open the full page for EcuadorProtection 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. The Organic Law of Intercultural Education (LOEI) requires schools to prevent violence, and a 2021 reform made school and academic harassment an offence.
Legal detail and sources
The Ministry of Education issues protocols for responding to violence detected in schools. Source note: this answer relies on legal commentary or other non-official summaries (Derecho Ecuador), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- Yes:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Yes. The harassment covered by the penal code includes acts by digital or electronic means.
Legal detail and sources
Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (El Comercio), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- No:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
No online safety regulator that orders removal of bullying content.
- No:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No legal minimum age for social media.
- Yes:
What are the rules on phones at school?
Yes. Under Ministerial Agreement 2025-00015-A, phones are not allowed for students in early and general basic education; upper-secondary (bachillerato) students may use them only for teaching purposes or exceptional cases.
Legal detail and sources
In April 2026 the ministry confirmed the rule still applies after a new disciplinary agreement caused confusion. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (El Mercurio and Vistazo), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- Yes:
When is online abuse a crime?
Yes. Since August 2021, article 154.3 of the Comprehensive Organic Penal Code (COIP) makes school and academic harassment a contravention (a minor offence), not a crime.
Legal detail and sources
Penalties are non-custodial measures; harsher ones apply when a teacher or school authority is the harasser. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (El Comercio) and other non-official summaries, not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. Schools have student counseling departments (DECE) that handle cases of violence under ministry protocols.
Country
Paraguay
A 2012 law against school bullying covers cyberbullying, with a Ministry of Education protocol for every school.
Compare with anywhere else Open the full page for ParaguayProtection 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. Law 4633 of 2012 against bullying in public, private and subsidized schools requires prevention and sets measures for students who bully.
Legal detail and sources
Measures range from a change of class and psychological support to suspension and, in serious cases, expulsion. The Ministry of Education's Resolution 8353/2012 approved the protocol schools must follow. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (ABC Color) as well as official sources.
- Yes:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Yes. The law covers harassment through any means, including cyber means such as phones, the internet and social networks.
Legal detail and sources
- No:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
No online safety regulator that orders removal of bullying content.
- No:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No legal minimum age for social media.
- No:
What are the rules on phones at school?
No national rule yet. A bill to regulate phones in schools passed the Senate with changes in June 2026 and went back to the Chamber of Deputies.
- Partly:
When is online abuse a crime?
Partly. There is no bullying offence, but defamation, threats and some online harms are crimes.
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. The ministry's protocol sets steps for teachers and principals to detect and respond to bullying.
Legal detail and sources
Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (ABC Color), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
Country
Peru
A 2011 law bans bullying in schools, cases are reported on the SíseVe platform, and phones are restricted during lessons.
Compare with anywhere else Open the full page for PeruProtection 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. Law 29719 (2011) promotes coexistence without violence in schools. It prohibits bullying and requires schools to keep an incident log, have a coexistence plan and act on reported cases.
Legal detail and sources
Regulated by Supreme Decree 010-2012-ED. A later law added article 14 on preventing violence and bullying.
- Yes:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Yes. National guidelines and Ministry of Education protocols cover cyberbullying, and cases can be reported on SíseVe.
Legal detail and sources
Source note: this answer relies on legal commentary or other non-official summaries (GRADE), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- No:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
No online safety regulator that orders removal of bullying content.
- No:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No legal minimum age for social media.
- Yes:
What are the rules on phones at school?
Yes. Law 32385 (June 2025) requires primary and secondary schools to restrict phones during lessons unless they are used for learning. Its regulation (Supreme Decree 018-2026-MINEDU) was published in October 2026.
Legal detail and sources
Schools must add the rules to their internal regulations and post a notice at the entrance. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Gestión) as well as official sources.
- Partly:
When is online abuse a crime?
Partly. There is no bullying offence, but threats, defamation and online sexual approaches to children are crimes.
Legal detail and sources
Law 30096 on computer crimes (2013).
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. The law provides for a psychologist in schools, subject to budget, and each school has a coexistence officer who manages SíseVe cases.
Legal detail and sources
In 2024 only about 2% of public schools had a psychologist. Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (La República), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
Country
Uruguay
A 2013 law requires a national protocol on mistreatment in schools; there is no stand-alone anti-bullying law.
Compare with anywhere else Open the full page for UruguayProtection 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. Law 19.098 (2013) declares a national protocol to prevent, detect and respond to physical, psychological or social mistreatment in schools to be of national interest. The national education administration (ANEP) applies it.
Legal detail and sources
There is no stand-alone anti-bullying law. ANEP's road maps and protocols set out the steps schools follow.
- Partly:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Partly. The 2013 law does not name online bullying. A 2023 law set the first week of November as a week to prevent school bullying, including cyberbullying.
- No:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
No online safety regulator that orders removal of bullying content.
- No:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No legal minimum age for social media.
- No:
What are the rules on phones at school?
No national rule. Some schools restrict phones, and ANEP set up a working group on the issue in December 2025.
Legal detail and sources
Source note: this answer draws on news reporting (Subrayado), not an official legal text. Check the official text before relying on it.
- Partly:
When is online abuse a crime?
Partly. There is no bullying offence, but threats and defamation are crimes, and the law on gender-based violence covers some online abuse.
- Yes:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Yes. ANEP's protocol and road map tell school teams how to prevent, detect and respond to mistreatment.
Legal detail and sources
Compare at a glance
Select a name to open its full profile.
| Country | School rules | Online bullying | Takedown help | Age limits | Phones | Criminal law | Staff guidance | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Yes | Partly | Partly | No | Partly | Partly | Yes | 4 of 7 |
| Bolivia | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Partly | Yes | 4.5 of 7 |
| Brazil | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 of 7 |
| Chile | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Partly | Yes | 4.5 of 7 |
| Colombia | Yes | Yes | Partly | No | Partly | Partly | Yes | 4.5 of 7 |
| Ecuador | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 5 of 7 |
| Paraguay | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Partly | Yes | 3.5 of 7 |
| Peru | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Partly | Yes | 4.5 of 7 |
| Uruguay | Partly | Partly | No | No | No | Partly | Yes | 2.5 of 7 |
Clear rule in place Partly, or schools decide Set by national law
Plain-English summaries for educators, checked against official sources on 11 November 2026. This is not legal advice. Open “Legal detail and sources” for the law itself.
Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with credit, under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC 4.0 licence.