The Problematics of Cyberbullying in the Digital Environment: Parents’ Opinions

Abstract

This article explores the role of the family in ensuring the cybersecurity of children and adolescents in the con-text of digital transformation drawing on S. Hjarvard and P. Bourdieu’s theories. The empirical basis of the study consists of in-depth interviews with parents (Saratov, 2026) supplemented by a secondary analysis of international and Russian statistical data. In the course of the study, the author revealed a significant contradic-tion between the recognition of the high severity of cyberbullying and the low level of parents’ awareness of its specific forms and prevention methods. It was established that parental behavior strategies range from permis-siveness to hidden control, which is conditioned by the volume of digital capital in the family. The work substan-tiates the need to transition from authoritarian supervision to the strategies of solidarity and improving the digi-tal literacy of adults. The research results emphasize an importance of trusting relationships as a foundation for protecting minors in the digital environment.