This article discusses the correlation between social media and cyberbullying, attempting to answer several questions: “(1) How is cyberbullying defined in the literature? (2) What factors contribute to cyberbullying, and how can they be measured? (3) What is the impact of personality traits on the likelihood of engaging in or being victimized by cyberbullying? (4) How do direct involvement and indirect experiences influence the prevalence of cyberbullying”. To find answers to the questions posed, they used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses or PRISMA search strategy as guideline while researching cyberbullying on social media and assessing relevant writings. This study was conducted between September through December 2022 with 389 articles, out of the 400 identified, included in the data used. A meta-analysis was conducted on 71 papers dated from 2007-2022 and the data provided included diverse samples groups of various ages and regions within the United States.  

Using objectivity, this article does highlight the gaps in data that were discovered. Explaining the challenges it encountered such as attempting to find clear definition of cyberbullying, noting the inconsistencies across different writings. While explaining the impact of cyberbullying, a connection was made between internet exposure and self-harm or suicide in young people, and a strong correlation was found. Through ethical neutrality, they concluded that superior research needs to be conducted to study the correlation and to find appropriate means to stop it. Later it acknowledged that the research doesn’t specify if cyberbullying worsened existing symptoms found in victims or it was caused by the cyberbullying. This article also notes that the sample is based on a small set of popular social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter but consider if the data would have changed if additional sites like Reddit were included. I think it relates to determinism as it ensures that all aspects of research are evaluated so that accurate conclusions can be made. 

This article found that the psychological traits discovered in cyberbullying offenders align with the Dark Triad; Machiavellianism, Narcissism, Psychopathy but added a fourth trait, Sadism. The behavioral theory is used throughout this article when discussing personality traits of a cyberbully. The research acknowledges that different elements can influence negative antisocial behavior including psychological factors, environmental factors, and individual differences. Concurring the with the OCEAN model regarding the personality traits found; openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. 

This article addresses the challenge of cyberbullying across the internet, the impact on the victims, and how to appropriately prevent it. Identifying gaps in data for adults and inconsistencies in research material due to the complexity of cyberbullying. Suggesting a cyberbullying framework be developed to mitigate conflicting data and unify how cyberbullying is defined and measured. By identifying these opportunities for improvement, it provides the next set of researchers elements and factors to consider before conducting their own analysis. This article proposes social media platforms to adjust their reporting location to make it easier for users. Attempting to encourage change to mitigate further cyberbullying.  

Ray, G., McDermott, C. D., & Nicho, M. (2024). Cyberbullying on social media: Definitions, prevalence, and impact challenges. Journal of Cybersecurity, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/cybsec/tyae026