Country · South America
Chile: cyberbullying law for schools
Bottom line for counselors: Schools must have anti-bullying rules, and those rules cover online bullying. There is no takedown regulator, so report harmful posts to the platform. Some online abuse can be a crime under general laws.
Last verified: checked against official sources on 11 November 2026.
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.
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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
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