Cyberbullying: An Emoji Can Hide Far More Than You Think

To mark the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School, including Cyberbullying, on 5 November 2026, Orange (EPA: ORA) is launching a new campaign as part of its #ForGoodConnections initiative, to keep raising parents' awareness of the forms that cyberbullying takes and to encourage dialogue.

This awareness campaign is accompanied by a major European study conducted with Ifop, which shows that parents are highly vigilant about cyberbullying (88% of parents surveyed across Europe believe they are well informed about it), but that the codes used by teenagers often remain unfamiliar.

Highly vigilant parents, fast-changing codes

Cyberbullying is a widely shared concern among parents of teenagers. On average, 74% of parents across the eight European countries surveyed consider it a risk for their child*. In France, this figure rises to 85%.

Yet behind this vigilance, some warning signs remain hard to spot. Across the eight countries surveyed, the study reveals the same contrast: parents are aware of the risk, but cyberbullying does not always take visible forms. It can hide behind words, emojis or digital codes whose meaning changes quickly and sometimes escapes adults.

Digital codes change fast, and their meaning varies from one group to another. In France, for example, although 84% of parents say they are well informed and 75% feel prepared to protect their child, 25% had never heard of the six concepts tested in the study, such as revenge porn (sharing sexual content of a person online without their consent) or sextortion (blackmail involving the threatened release of intimate images). And for nearly half (49%), none of the five emojis shown seemed likely to be used to mock, belittle or insult someone.

These findings highlight a key issue: parents know the risk exists, but the forms it takes in everyday life change fast. Even when there is open dialogue within the family, some signals can go unnoticed.

This contrast is found across Europe, with differences between countries. In the Netherlands, Italy and Germany, parents appear more familiar with digital codes but perceive the risk of cyberbullying less strongly. Conversely, in France, Poland and Romania, the risk is more widely recognised, while knowledge of these codes appears more limited.

A campaign to raise awareness

Across Europe, cyberbullying remains a major concern: 64% of parents say they are worried about it. With this new #ForGoodConnections campaign, Orange invites parents to take a fresh look at words, behaviours or emojis that may seem harmless.

The film features a real-life experiment in which parents are shown situations that may at first seem harmless, funny or familiar. Teenagers then explain what may lie behind them: certain words, behaviours or codes can in fact conceal mockery, exclusion or bullying. What seemed innocent suddenly takes on a very different meaning.

The aim is not to turn parents into experts in every digital code, nor to make them feel guilty, but to support them so that they feel able to ask questions, stay attentive and keep the conversation open with their children.

Watch the campaign here

“Cyberbullying does not always show itself. A word, an emoji or a joke can mean something very different to a teenager. With #ForGoodConnections, Orange wants to help parents better understand these realities, spot the warning signs and, above all, keep the conversation going with their children. Because prevention often starts with a conversation,” says Caroline Guillaumin, Executive Vice President, Communications, Orange.

#ForGoodConnections: decoding to keep the conversation going

Digital technology is a powerful tool for progress, learning and entertainment. But it can also expose young people to risks, including cyberbullying, excessive screen time and inappropriate content.

With #ForGoodConnections, Orange is working to promote more responsible, safer and more serene digital practices. This initiative is part of the ambition set out in the Trust the future strategic plan: to be the trusted partner for the digital lives of people, organisations and communities.

Through awareness-raising initiatives, dedicated digital-parenting resources (Parents et numérique – For Good Connections - Orange, in French), products and services designed for families, and partnerships with committed organisations, Orange supports children, teenagers, parents and educators in their digital lives. More than 850,000 children have taken part in Orange awareness programmes since 2021.

Because protecting young people online is a collective responsibility, Orange works alongside associations, educators, digital experts and child-protection organisations. These partnerships help to better understand young people's practices, strengthen prevention and support families as closely as possible to their needs.

In France, victims, perpetrators or witnesses of bullying or online violence can call 3018, the national helpline, or chat via the 3018 app: 3018.fr. Free, anonymous and confidential, 7 days a week, 9 am to 11 pm.

Methodology of the Orange study conducted with Ifop

The survey was conducted in eight European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain. It was carried out among 500 parents in each country, and among 1,000 parents in France, online from 2 to 8 October 2026, using the quota method.

* France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, Romania, Belgium and the Netherlands