According to the National Police, notifications have been received from 31 schools in Zaragoza province, seven in Huesca province and two in Teruel. Of these, 25 are public schools and 15 are state-funded private or private schools. All of these alerts have been forwarded to the National Police or Civil Guard.
In Zaragoza, the Minors’ Group of the Provincial Judicial Police Brigade (Grume) is already reviewing more than 20 profiles. Officers are analyzing each post to determine whether the line between humor and humiliation has been crossed, particularly when there are insults, repeated mockery or content targeting a student or teacher.
The victim’s full name does not have to appear. A photograph, nickname, caricature or reference that makes the person identifiable may be enough for the content to have consequences. Depending on the circumstances, some posts could potentially constitute offenses against moral integrity or serious insults.
TAKING SCREENSHOTS TO COLLECT EVIDENCE
One of the most important pieces of advice is not to act hastily. Before reporting or blocking an account, it is advisable to save screenshots and keep the username, links and publication dates. This information may be crucial if the school or police later becomes involved.
Schools and secondary schools have also been instructed to safeguard this evidence and prevent it from continuing to circulate. Forwarding a screenshot to “show what happened” may end up multiplying the harm to the affected person even further.
When officers detect possible signs of a crime, they contact the school and advise families or teachers on the next steps. The notification made by the school serves to activate the protocol, but in some cases an individual complaint will also be necessary.
WHEN BULLYING LEAVES THE CLASSROOM
The main problem with these accounts is that bullying no longer ends when the school bell rings. A post can continue circulating for hours, reach other classes, be shared outside the school and even remain available for days.
Police warn that this type of harassment can cause anxiety, isolation, loss of self-esteem or fear of returning to class, as well as affect academic performance. Teachers are not exempt either: some of these profiles include mockery, edited images or comments expressly targeting educators.
The consequences do not necessarily end with the minor who posts the content. If a crime is committed and damage results, the law provides that parents or guardians may have to respond financially in certain cases.
That is why, beyond monitoring and blocking, police insist on a simple idea: talk to children before a problem arises. Review together what they post, what they share and whom they follow, set limits on mobile phone use and explain that behind every meme there may be a person who is not experiencing it as a joke.
