Microsoft Word - IJHHS IMAM 23rd ASC 2022


  
 

 S14

2. Cyberbullying : How To Stay Safe on Social Media?  
Ahmad Firdaus Mohd Haris1  
  
Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. There is rarely anyone without any of these social media 
accounts. According to 2020 Internet User Survey by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia 
Commission (MCMC), 88.7% of Malaysians are internet users. Out of that number, 93.3% of users use 
social media extensively. Social media has enabled users to connect with family and friends. It has done 
wonders to small businesses to prosper. It has also empowered communities to grow and prosper. 
However, there is one dark side to it; CYBERBULLYNG. According to the Merriam Webster 
dictionary, bullying is defined as “abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable by someone stronger, 
more powerful”. Most of the time, bullying is done when a bully is in the presence of his or her victim. 
However, in the cyber world, bullying extends beyond the physical presence. The act of bullying can 
be done 24 hours a day, by anyone at any time. A victim can be harassed with harsh comments via any 
social media accounts and even through text messages which sometimes invade the victim’s own 
privacy. There is no clear guidelines and policy regarding cyberbullying. Any form of enforcement is 
lax due to the nature of the internet being free for all. Thus, it is imperative to empower oneself to 
understand how to use social media effectively to prevent from being cyberbullied and also NOT to be 
a cyberbully. There are also tools that can be used in each social media platform to report such 
cyberbullying issues and also to report to the relevant agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Police and 
Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.  
  
Keywords: cyberbullying; social media; cyberbullying policy  
  

1. Medical Mythbuster Malaysia, 
https://www.facebook.com/MedicalMythbustersMalaysia  

 

 

 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

Correspondence to: Dr. Ahmad Firdaus Mohd Haris. Medical Mythbuster Malaysia, 
https://www.facebook.com/MedicalMythbustersMalaysia/. ahmad.firdaus.m3@gmail.com 

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

  

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31344/ijhhs.v7i70.516