Kathleen Van Royen

Automatic monitoring of cyberbullying on social networking sites: From technological feasibility to desirability

Abstract The automatic monitoring of cyberbullying on social networking sites has potential for signalling harmful messages, preventing these messages from remaining online and providing timely responses. Although technological advancements are made to optimise automatic cyberbullying detection systems, little is known about its desirability and requirements. Experts in the field of cyberbullying, as excellent sources of valuable insight into these issues, were solicited based on three open-ended questions relating to the desirability of automatic monitoring. Answers were examined through qualitative content analysis. Of the 179 experts contacted, 50 (28%) responded. Most of these experts favoured automatic monitoring, but specified clear conditions under which such systems should be implemented, including effective follow-up strategies, protecting the adolescents’ privacy and safeguarding their self-reliance. Follow-up strategies should focus on preventing future cyberbullying and empowering the parties involved. The majority of respondents suggested priorities for detection, including threats and the misuse of pictures. Despite generally positive opinions, several experts harboured doubts regarding desirability and feasibility. Appropriate follow-up strategies should be determined according to severity, and be tested for effectiveness. Future research should involve the views of adolescents and parents with regard to user desirability and prioritisation of cyberbullying detection, as well as views from social network providers.

Help, I am losing control! Examining the reporting of sexual harassment by adolescents to social networking sites

Sexual harassment is often encountered by adolescents on social networking sites (SNS). One option to cope with a situation of harassment on SNS is to alarm the provider by reporting the transgressive content. It is yet unclear what the determinants of reporting a sexual harassment situation on SNS are, as well as the subsequent actions to these reports from the part of the SNS provider. In this article, we seek to address these gaps, and in particular examine whether control-by-the-self over the situation and negative emotions play a role in the reporting of sexual harassment on SNS. Findings indicate that a low situational control-by-the-self, indirectly (namely through a higher experience of negative emotions such as anger and shame) increases the reporting of sexual harassment by the victim. Public visibility of the incident and the impossibility to remove the content reduce the situational control-by-the-self. Results further suggest that SNS providers often ignore reported situations of sexual harassment. The study concludes with suggestions for responses to reported harassment on SNS, which should be directed toward increasing behavioral control and thereby alleviating negative emotions.

“Thinking before posting?” Reducing cyber harassment on social networking sites through a reflective message

Abstract To deal with cyber harassment amongst youth on social networking sites (SNS), interfaces automatically showing a reflective message when harassment is recognized could be integrated. Such message encourages users to reconsider and to eventually self-censor their post. This study examines whether reflective messages reduce harassment among adolescents on SNS. We conducted an experimental study to test the effect of three different types of reflective messages, as well as a mere time delay, on the change in intention to engage in harassment on SNS. Participants were 321 adolescents from 15 to 16 years old (59.1% was female). We measured their intention to harass prior and after exposure to a reflective message. Moreover, we tested whether certain groups (based on their gender, empathy trait and behavioral inhibition) are more susceptible to certain types of reflective messages. The results show that, for all three conditions, the intention decreased after being exposed to the message, as well as following only a time delay. Furthermore, in one condition a stronger effect was found for individuals with a higher sensitivity of the behavioral inhibition system.

Severe Sexual Harassment on Social Networking Sites: Belgian Adolescents’ Views

Online sexual harassment is increasingly encountered by adolescents and is associated with various negative psychosocial outcomes. In particular, social networking sites (SNSs) may facilitate sexual harassment. This study used focus groups to examine sexual harassment on SNSs from adolescents’ (aged 12–18 years) point of view: what do they perceive as severe cases and who do they think should play a role in addressing them. The qualitative data suggested that sexual harassment was appraised as more severe when it concerned personally targeted gender harassment, situations with restricted escape possibilities, the use of insulting words, the non-consensual use of pictures for sex-related purposes, or frequent adult-initiated sexual attention. Adolescents think that educating potential victims and harassers is important. In addition, SNS providers can play a crucial role in decreasing the impact of sexual harassment by providing a safe environment and by warning or sanctioning harassers.

Contraception: a questionnaire on knowledge and attitude of adolescents, distributed on Facebook.

Abstract Background: The contraceptive pill is widely used. An accurate knowledge is necessary for correct use. Objective: This study sheds light on adolescents’ knowledge, attitude and behavior in regard to contraceptive use, in the year 2014. The goal is to provide general practitioners (GP) with information about the potential gaps in knowledge concerning contraceptive use in order to give better counseling and prevent high-risk behavior in adolescents. Methods: A quantitative descriptive study was carried out among 14–25-year-old female and male adolescents. Data were collected through a web-based survey using the online survey software Qualtrics (Qualtrics, Provo, UT, USA) and was distributed via the social networking site Facebook. Results: The survey was started by 1185 participants. The most popular contraceptive method among females is the oral contraceptive pill (63.7%). Four out of ten females (42.6%) do not know that when using an emergency pill, they must still take their regular contraceptive pill on the same day. The majority of female respondents (80.0%) go to their general practitioner for a prescription for the pill. Ninety-five percent (95.1%) of the females would feel comfortable asking their GP for extra information about the drug. The sex of the GP does not influence the likelihood of female patients seeking more information. The Internet also seems to serve as an important source of information. We defined a female subgroup, called “vulnerable”. The majority of females in the non-vulnerable group (70.4%) protected themselves before their first sexual contact instead of only half of the members in the vulnerable group (51.0%). Conclusion: The level of knowledge among adolescents about contraception is not alarming, but there are a few blind spots. Eliminating these gaps should be the aim of the doctor and pharmacologist.

Slut-Shaming 2.0

The practice of slut-shaming became rampant with the advent of social networking sites (SNS). This chapter will discuss how these platforms pose additional risks for female adolescents to be slut-shamed. It will be argued that SNS have expanded the impact and scope of slut-shaming through, for example, the easy replication and persistence of publicly visible content on SNS. Furthermore, this chapter will examine the prevalence and characteristics of slut-shaming (derived from perceptions of the victim’s point of view) particularly on SNS, based on a survey study amongst 476 adolescent females (12–18 years). To conclude, efforts will be discussed to prevent this form of harassment. Several actors such as parents, schools, mass media and social media providers, should take more responsibility as well as convey equal gender norms starting from a young age.