Willows law:

Cyberbullying framework

(Children and Adults)

A unified national law criminalising online abuse, digital harassment, and cyberbullying across all ages.

1. Legal Definition of Cyberbullying

Under Willow’s Law, cyberbullying becomes a distinct criminal category, defined as:

“The repeated, targeted, or harmful use of digital communication, platforms, or online technologies to cause psychological, emotional, reputational, or social harm to any individual, regardless of age.”

This includes:

  • Online threats

  • Harassment via messaging

  • Group targeting/shaming

  • Doxxing

  • Spreading rumours online

  • Repeated negative comments

  • Manipulating photos/videos

  • Impersonation

  • Digitally stalking a child or adult

  • Encouraging self-harm

  • Harassment via gaming platforms

  • Malicious content sharing

  • Group pile-ons

  • Covert bullying in private group chats

This removes ambiguity — if it causes harm and is repeated, it is cyberbullying.

2. Age Coverage

Children (10–17) and adults (18+) are covered equally.

The same definitions apply, but the response system adjusts to age, safeguarding status, and risk.

3. Tiered Cyberbullying Consequences (Children 10+)

Tier 1 – Warning + Digital Behaviour Intervention

Triggered upon:

  • Verified screenshots,

  • Platform reports,

  • School confirmation, or

  • Parent complaint.

Consequences:

  • Official Cyberbullying Warning logged at school and safeguarding level

  • Mandatory digital-behaviour lessons

  • Parents must attend a meeting

  • Device restrictions allowed

  • School must monitor online activity related to the incident

  • Offender and victim reviewed weekly for welfare

Why this works: early intervention, documentation, and education.

Tier 2 – Escalated Sanctions + Police Notification

Triggered when:

  • Tier 1 fails

  • Behaviour escalates

  • The child causes measurable harm

  • Harassment repeats across platforms

Consequences:

  • Police log “repeat cyberbullying offence” (non-criminal first step)

  • Mandatory counselling

  • School or social services create a plan for safety + behaviour

  • Access to certain apps/platforms can be restricted by court order

  • Parents legally required to cooperate

  • Evidence stored for any future escalation

Why this works: behaviour is taken seriously and monitored legally.

Tier 3 – Criminal Charge (Child)

Triggered when:

  • Cyberbullying causes major harm

  • Leads to self-harm or attempt

  • Is prolonged and malicious

  • Is sexually motivated

  • Involves blackmail

  • Involves distribution of humiliating or intimate content

Consequences:

Criminal charge under a new offence:

“Harm by Digital Bullying”

  • Youth court involvement

  • Rehabilitation orders

  • Psychological intervention

  • Digital bans

  • Severe cases = Youth Offender placement

Why this works: severe digital abuse gets real consequences.

4. Tiered Cyberbullying Consequences (Adults 18+)

Tier 1 – Statutory Digital Harassment Warning

  • Police issue a formal cyberbullying warning

  • Platforms notified

  • Employer notified if relevant

  • Mandatory digital behaviour course

Tier 2 – Criminal Notice + Fines + Digital Restrictions

  • Repeat behaviour becomes a recorded criminal incident

  • Fines

  • Digital restrictions: platform bans, monitored accounts

  • Mandatory mental health or behavioural intervention

  • If workplace related, employer must implement protection measures

Tier 3 – Criminal Charge

If cyberbullying leads to:

  • Mental health crisis

  • Self-harm

  • Suicide attempt

  • Suicide

  • Sustained harassment

  • Severe emotional damage

Charge:

“Causing Psychological Harm Through Digital Abuse”

Punishment:

  • Prison

  • Restraining orders

  • Digital restrictions

  • Seizure of devices if needed

  • Court-ordered treatment

5. Mandatory Platform Responsibility

All online platforms operating in the UK must:

  • Report repeat cyberbullies (child or adult) to police

  • Flag accounts linked to sustained bullying

  • Provide evidence for investigations

  • Remove harmful content within 24 hours

  • Suspend accounts engaged in bullying

  • Provide direct crisis links to victims

Failure to comply:

  • Fines

  • Legal sanctions

  • Removal of UK operating license for severe negligence

This stops tech companies from looking the other way.

6. National Cyberbullying & Suicide Register

Willow’s Law creates:

  • A national database tracking cyberbullying incidents

  • Cross-referencing with mental health data

  • Recording all digital harassment linked to suicide or attempts

  • Collecting schools’, workplaces’, and police reports

This is crucial. Without data, Parliament pretends the problem doesn’t exist.

7. Safeguarding Duty for Schools, Police & Employers

All institutions must:

  • Record cyberbullying

  • Report it

  • Take action within 48 hours

  • Offer welfare checks

  • Connect victims to mental health support

  • Document repeat offenders

  • Monitor for escalation

No more “we can’t act because it happened online.”

Willow’s Law makes digital behaviour everyone’s responsibility.

8. Mental Health Duty of Care

Victims must receive:

  • Fast-tracked mental health support

  • Digital safety planning

  • Risk assessment

  • GP notification

  • Safeguarding monitoring

  • Ongoing check-ins

This prevents another child — or adult — from being ignored like Willow was.

9. Why This Law Matters

Because cyberbullying is the modern form of violence.

It follows people home.

It never switches off.

It eats away at the mind until it breaks something vital.

Children and adults are dying because the UK has no dedicated cyberbullying law.

Just scattered policies, outdated tech rules, and institutions that avoid responsibility.

Willow deserved better.

Millions of children and adults deserve better.

This section of Willow’s Law closes one of the biggest, deadliest gaps in UK safeguarding.