ICT, Cyber-bullying, and Self-disclosure: an Experiential Study of Twitter

Abstract

With the advent of the Internet and the convergence of communications technologies, cyber-bullying has become a perennial issue among media scholars and educators. Across the globe, the Internet is no longer just a medium that facilitates the movement of data in the information superhighway; it has become the medium for peers to inflict harm on others. This paper, therefore, explores how cyber-bullying is manifested on its victims and its negative effects on self-disclosure. The survey method was used to gather data with the questionnaire as the major instrument of data collection. The paper found out that 46% of the respondents have been cyber-bullied, while 87% had witnessed other persons cyber-bullied on Twitter. In addition, 55% agreed that they bully others on Twitter, while 44% indicated that they retaliate in verbal and visuals forms whenever they are cyberbullied. The paper recommends that the developing countries like Nigeria should establish laws and policies to discourage the act of cyber-bullying while non-governmental organizations should join the crusade against cyber-bullying.