An Analysis of News Containing Cyberbullying in the Metaverse

Introduction

With the rapid developments in communication and computer technologies, the more widespread use of these technologies by societies brings with it various negative situations as well as positive. The Internet has many positive features, such as enabling fast communication, eliminating time and space limitations, and being used in all areas of society, from education to health, from politics to the economy. However, the increasingly aggressive behavior on the internet, violations of personal rights and freedoms, and the idea that everyone has the right to say what they want on the internet have also revealed a new concept defined as cyberbullying. Although bullying is as old as human history, cyberbullying has become an area that people are exposed to with the spread of the internet in societies. Despite being similar to traditional bullying, cyberbullying only manifests itself through the use of electronic devices and communication networks (Maftei, Holman, & Merlici, 2022, p.2). The impact of cyberbullying, whose origins are not very old, on society and individuals has reached significant dimensions. The communication skills of individuals who are exposed to swearing, insulting, abusive messages, comments, images, and videos are damaged, and their psychology is impaired.

Cyberbullying is generally the wrong use of this medium by individuals with the advancement of technological developments. The consequences of this misuse are defined as cyberbullying (Bhat, Chang, & Linscott, 2010, p. 36). Cyberbullying is generally accepted as a broad category of deliberate, aggressive behaviors targeting specific individuals or groups whose primary purpose is to harm or damage their reputation (Maftei, Holman, & Merlici, 2022, p.2). Narin and Ünal (2016, p.10) point out that cyberbullying is a special type of aggression, define cyberbullying as a form of bullying carried out through mobile phones, computers, in short, all electronic technologies and networks such as social media. Bozkanat (2020, p.44), on the other hand, stated that cyberbullying is usually done to someone who cannot defend himself easily, and she defined it as aggression that is carried out intentionally and repeatedly in the electronic environment. Belsey (2007, p.8) defined cyberbullying as the use of information and communication technologies to support the intentional, repeated, and hostile behavior of a person or group aimed at harming others. On the other hand, Bhat (2008, p. 54) defined cyberbullying with a view close to Belsey's definition: “Cyberbullying is the use of information and communication technologies to intimidate, harass, victimize or bully an individual or group of individuals”. The developments in information and communication technologies have been highlighted in the definitions of cyberbullying. Champell (2005, p.1) draws attention to the negative aspect of the internet by saying that cyberbullying becomes the 'dark side' of technology with the use of technology to harm others.

The main difference that distinguishes cyberbullying from traditional bullying is that the perpetrator thinks that it is possible to hide his identity by hiding behind the internet. This is why cyberbullying is more strict. It leads to the use of harsher and more brutal words. This hiding makes it easier for the perpetrator to strike the victim without seeing the victim's physical reaction (Donegan, 2012, p.34). The increasing number of users, as today's society adapts more easily to technological developments, also increases cyberbullying.