Cyberbullying on social media under the influence of COVID-19

Abstract

The sudden emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new norms largely revolving around the use of social media, disrupting the mentality of Internet users, especially the youth, resulting in an increase in cyberbullying. The rise in the popularity of many apps that facilitate online interactions has increased the risk of cyberbullying incidents. Not only did the COVID-19 pandemic transform social life, work, and education towards online modes of interaction, but it has also contributed to the ongoing digitization of bullying. As work moved to the home, so did bullying. This study aims to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic, which affects social media usage, increases the incidence of cyberbullying. We tested our hypotheses using a sample of 200 Malaysian participants. The results showed that the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic's influence and cyberbullying was significant. However, we failed to find any statistical evidence that gender moderates this relationship. This study found an increase in cyberbullying incidents resulting from the increased use of social media due to the COVID-19 pandemic's influence. Our findings contribute to the body of knowledge on the prevalence of cyberbullying in Malaysia, which may benefit future research.