AI used in 14% of school cyberbullying cases in Spain
AI tools are reportedly used in 14.2% of school cyberbullying cases in Spain, primarily to create deepfake videos and impersonate peers. A report by two Spanish foundations found cyberbullying cases doubled in one year to 2.2% of students, driven by rising AI adoption among abusers.
What happened
According to a report by Fundaci贸n Mutua Madrile帽a and ANAR surveying 8,781 students and 355 teachers, AI is present in 14.2% of school cyberbullying cases in Spain. The tools are primarily used to create manipulated videos from photos or audio of a peer (54.8% of cases) or to impersonate their identity (32.2% of cases).
The main platforms where manipulated content is distributed include WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and video games, with differences between primary school students (more through games) and secondary school students (more through social networks).
Reported impact
Overall school bullying rose to 12.3% of students in 2024-2025 from 9.4% the previous year. Cyberbullying cases specifically doubled in one school year, from 1.1% to 2.2%, while combined physical and online bullying rose from 1.3% to 3.6%.
The typical victim is aged 11 or 12, with roughly equal numbers of girls and boys. In cyberbullying cases, targets are typically a single individual (75.6% female victims, 64.5% male victims). 15.8% of students report cyberbullying lasting over a year.
Index analysis
Presential bullying remained stable at 6.5%, suggesting the increase in overall bullying is driven by the rise in cyberbullying and AI-enabled abuse. The report attributes the spike to the emergence of AI tools among students.
Governance controls
The majority of students know to take screenshots to document abuse (67.7%), block accounts (59.2%), and avoid forwarding videos, photos or memes of victims (59.2%).
Fundaci贸n Mutua Madrile帽a and ANAR recommend increasing student awareness through school workshops, providing teachers with more time and tools to detect cases, and ensuring psychological support for both victims and perpetrators.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.