Cyber bullying affecting close to half of secondary school students in Ireland

One quarter of primary age children and 40 per cent of secondary age pupils in Ireland have experienced cyberbullying.

The latest report from CyberSafeKids shows girls are more likely than boys to be victimised online, with the posting of pictures without permission, creation of fake social media profiles and exclusion from chat groups the most commonly experienced forms of online abuse.

93 percent of 8 to 12 year olds have access to a smart device with 31 percent saying that they are allowed to go online whenever they like.

CEO of CyberSafeKids Alex Cooney says some parents are taking action by limiting how much time their children spend on phones and tablets.