Exploring Adolescents’ Understanding of Cyberbullying on Social Media Through Information Mining

Abstract The increase in social media users is in line with the development of the type of social media itself. One of the biggest users of social media is teenagers. Teenagers with their distinctive characteristics are very likely to become victims or perpetrators of bullying on various social media platforms. Understanding cyberbullying is essential to avoid negative impacts that can be long-term and destructive. This research aims to explore adolescents’ understanding of cyberbullying and their level of media literacy. The method used was qualitative, with 42 informants from 3 high schools with different characteristics. Data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions, and observations; data analysis was conducted using source and time triangulation. The results of the study showed that 69% of adolescent informants in Indonesia had experienced bullying on social media, with the highest type of bullying in the form of negative comments and insults at 64.9%. Still, the informants chose to ignore/not reply to the perpetrator. When informants become victims or witnesses to cyberbullying in others, they report the incident to friends, authorities, and parents. However, 81% of informants do not consider reducing or stopping their use of social media. This study concludes that a collaborative strategy is necessary between education and various relevant stakeholders, including authorities, parents, and schools, to develop school curricula that foster a healthy digital environment. This research contributes to creating a safe and healthy digital space by developing media ethics.