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

Method 2: From Their Profile

What blocking actually does:

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:

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:

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.

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:

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:

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:

It doesn't look like:

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.

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.