The Effect of social media on Individuals’ Perception and Criminal Behavior

Abstract

Social media has become an essential part of human life. Despite the fact that social media brings great convenience to humans, the ubiquity of social media platforms has influenced the way people perceive crime and the levels of criminal behaviors. Among all different kinds of criminal behaviors, cyberbullying is becoming a prominent problem in the digital age. This review study conducts a comprehensive analysis of the literature that focuses on the complex relationship between social media and crime, especially cyberbullying. According to related literature, social media consumption could increase individuals’ sense of fear about criminal behavior, and regions that have high levels of social media usage have spatial similarities with regions with high crime rates. Moreover, some studies discovered that the relationship between social media usage and crime rate could be very complicated. The correlation between the two factors could be positive and negative in different regions of the world. The consequences of cyberbullying are often underestimated, and the victims may suffer from mental health issues and refuse to engage in social activities. The impact of cyberbullying could be long-lasting, and interventions need to be taken in order to minimize the harm. Parents and school staff could take action to help cyberbullying victims with mental health care and reintegration. With the awareness of social media’s profound influence, people would work through concerted efforts in the future in order to maximize social media’s full potential while guarding people’s safety.