Cyberbullying on Social Media Platforms and Its Impact on Sri Lankan Youth: With Special Reference to Trincomalee Campus, Eastern University, Sri Lanka

Cyberbullying has emerged as a significant issue among young people, causing detrimental emotional and psychological harm. This study explored the types, causes, demographic factors, impacts, and coping mechanisms of cyberbullying among young Sri Lankans on social media platforms. A mixed-methods approach was employed, using surveys and in-depth interviews to gather quantitative and qualitative data. A total of 120 participants aged 19-25, drawn from the Faculty of Communication and Business Studies (FCBS) at Trincomalee Campus, Eastern University, were purposively selected for the survey, and five participants who reported experiencing cyberbullying were selected for in-depth interviews through volunteer sampling. The study found that the most common forms of cyberbullying were name-calling, sexting, spreading rumours, posting embarrassing content, hacking of accounts, cyberstalking, and exclusion, with Facebook identified as the platform most associated with such incidents (92.1%). Anonymity, easy access to technology and social media addiction, social pressure, and gaps in sexual and media literacy education emerged as the leading causes. Gender was a significant factor, with 83.75% of female and 80% of male respondents reporting prior awareness of cyberbullying, and 22-year-olds recording the highest victimisation rate (67.74%). Emotionally, 54% of victims reported sadness and 63.5% reported heightened stress or anxiety, while 77.8% reported headaches as the most common physical symptom; academic focus and friendships were also affected. Coping mechanisms centred on confiding in friends and family, limiting online presence, and constructive activities, while formal legal action remained uncommon, with only 31.7% of victims reporting incidents to the police. The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted awareness campaigns, stronger platform-level regulation, and clearer legal protections for young social media users in Sri Lanka. Further research is recommended to broaden the geographic scope and examine the cultural nuances of cyberbullying across the country.

Cyberbullying, Social media, Sri Lankan youth, Impacts

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