How to Block Cyberbullies on Snapchat (And What to Do Next)
Look, if you're reading this, something's probably already happened. Your kid came to you upset, or you saw something on their phone, or they've been acting differently lately. First: you're doing the right thing by looking into this. Cyberbullying on Snapchat is real, it's painful, and it's unfortunately pretty common.
The good news? Snapchat actually has decent blocking tools. The hard part is everything that comes after you hit that block button.
Snapchat is designed around disappearing messages, which sounds great for privacy but creates a nightmare scenario for bullying. Messages vanish, screenshots trigger notifications (but can still happen), and the whole "streaks" culture creates this artificial pressure to stay connected even with people who are being cruel.
Plus, Snapchat's interface is confusing enough that many parents don't know how to navigate it, which gives kids a false sense of privacy. Bullies know this. They use it.
The most common patterns: group chats where one person gets ganged up on, "anonymous" question boxes (through third-party apps linked to Snap), screenshot-sharing of private snaps, and the classic move of posting stories clearly designed to exclude or mock someone.
Okay, here's the actual technical stuff:
Method 1: From Chat
- Open the chat with the person
- Tap their profile icon at the top
- Tap the three dots (⋮) in the upper right
- Select "Block"
- Confirm
Method 2: From Their Profile
- Search for their username or find them in your friends list
- Tap their Bitmoji or profile picture
- Tap the three dots (⋮) in the upper right
- Select "Block"
- Confirm
What blocking actually does:
- They can't send snaps or chats
- They can't see your story
- They're removed from your friends list
- They can't see your location on Snap Map
- BUT they can still see public content and they'll know they've been blocked (they'll see "failed to send" messages)
Important: Before blocking, consider taking screenshots of the bullying behavior. Yes, they'll get a notification, but you need documentation. Or better yet, use another phone to photograph the screen.
Here's the reality check: blocking is damage control, not a solution.
The person can:
- Create a new account
- Use a friend's account
- Screenshot your public story from a different account
- Continue the bullying on other platforms
- Escalate to in-person harassment
This is why blocking is step one, not the only step.
Document everything. Screenshots, dates, times, what was said. Even if messages disappeared, write down what your teen remembers. If this escalates to school involvement or legal action, you'll need this.
Report to Snapchat. After blocking, report the account:
- Go to Snapchat Support (Settings → I Need Help → Safety)
- Report the specific snaps or behavior
- Include that it's harassment/bullying
Will Snapchat do anything? Maybe. They're better than they used to be, but don't hold your breath for immediate action.
Tell the school. If the bully goes to your kid's school, this is a school problem even if it happened at home. Most schools now have cyberbullying policies. Email the counselor or principal with your documentation. Use the words "hostile environment" and "impacting my child's education" – these trigger specific legal obligations.
Check other platforms. Bullying rarely stays contained to one app. Look at Instagram, TikTok, iMessage, Discord, wherever your teen hangs out digitally. The same person might be active across multiple platforms.
Talk to other parents (carefully). If you know the bully's parents and have any reason to think they're reasonable humans, consider reaching out. This is a judgment call. Some parents are mortified and will actually address it. Others will be defensive or make it worse. Trust your gut.
Your kid might be embarrassed, angry, or shutting down. Here's what actually helps:
Believe them immediately. Don't minimize it with "kids will be kids" or "just ignore them." Cyberbullying has been linked to anxiety, depression, and worse. This is serious.
Don't blame them. Even if they made choices you wish they hadn't (sending a photo, saying something first, whatever), the bullying is not their fault. You can address those other issues later, separately.
Ask what they need. Some kids want you to fix it. Others want to handle it themselves with your support. Listen to what they're asking for. Here's how to have that conversation
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Check in regularly. Not in an interrogation way, but a "how are things going online?" way. Make it clear you're available without hovering.
Contact law enforcement if:
- There are threats of violence
- Sexual content is being shared (especially of minors)
- The harassment includes hate speech or threats based on protected characteristics
- The bullying continues across multiple accounts/platforms after blocking
- Your teen is in crisis (self-harm, suicidal thoughts)
This isn't overreacting. Police often have dedicated units for cybercrimes involving minors.
This is the question every parent asks, and the answer is: it depends.
Taking away Snapchat might feel like protecting your teen, but it can also:
- Isolate them from their friend group (Snap is how many teens coordinate plans)
- Make them feel punished for being bullied
- Push them to use it secretly on other devices
Better approach: Take a break together. "Let's both take a week off Snapchat while we figure this out." Frame it as cooling-off period, not punishment.
If the bullying was severe or your teen wants off the platform, that's different. Support that choice. Help them let friends know they're moving to text or Discord or whatever works.
But if your teen wants to stay on Snap, work together on new boundaries: private stories only, no adding people they don't know IRL, regular check-ins about how they're feeling.
Here's the thing: we can't bubble-wrap our kids from every cruel person on the internet. But we can help them build actual resilience, which is different from just telling them to deal with it.
Real resilience looks like:
- Knowing when to block and walk away
- Having trusted adults to turn to
- Understanding that someone being cruel says more about them than about you
- Having offline friendships and activities that aren't tied to social media drama
It doesn't look like:
- "Just ignore it"
- "Don't be so sensitive"
- "Back in my day..."
If your teen is really struggling, consider talking to their doctor about therapy. Cyberbullying can be legitimately traumatic, and processing it with a professional isn't weakness – it's smart.
Blocking a bully on Snapchat takes about 30 seconds. Dealing with the aftermath takes much longer.
The blocking is important – do it, report it, document it. But the real work is supporting your teen through this, helping them feel safe again, and teaching them that they deserve to exist online without harassment.
You're not going to get this perfect. You might overreact or underreact. You might say the wrong thing. That's okay. What matters is that you're present, you're trying, and your teen knows you've got their back.
And if you need to talk through your specific situation, the Screenwise chatbot can help you figure out next steps
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- Right now: Block the bully, take screenshots, report to Snapchat
- Today: Talk to your teen about what they need, contact the school if relevant
- This week: Check in daily, monitor for escalation, consider other platform safety
- Ongoing: Regular conversations about online life, rebuild sense of safety, watch for signs of emotional impact
This is hard. But you're not alone in dealing with it, and your teen is lucky to have a parent who takes this seriously.


