Cyberbullying traces its origin in the 1990s following the invention of the internet and the subsequent introduction of personal computers. However, the issue did not gain attraction, especially from researchers until the early 2000s. During this period, many teenagers had gained access to cell phones as well as owning social media accounts: this paved way for Cyberbullying. The issue became prevalent in 2007 following the death of Megan Meier-she died after being harassed on Facebook (Cohen-Almagor, 2020). The case of Jessica Logan is often cited as the first instance of Cyberbullying via mobile phone.
Cyberbullying is a major issue of concern to society due to technology. The issue is considered the leading cause of teen suicide. According to Weinstein et al. (2021), around 70 percent of teenagers own a mobile phone and use social media: out of this percentage, 20 percent are victims of Cyberbullying and have suicidal thoughts. Another impact of Cyberbullying on society revolves around mental health problems (Kwan et al. 2020). For instance, victims of Cyberbullying through insults and harassment often struggle with negative thoughts and depression which are a burden to society.
People are more likely to engage in cyberbullying behavior depending on their cultural background. For instance, in the American cultural context, people are expected to behave according to an independent self-contractual: one is viewed as a unique individual (Shohoudi Mojdehi et al., 2019). However, in the Japanese cultural context, people are expected to behave according to an interdependent self-construal. For instance, individuals of American origin are more likely to get influenced by situational contexts compared to those in Japan. In other words, individuals from the U.S. would engage in cyberbullying from those from Japan.
Order this paper