Justification of Cyber-Harassment In Terms of Digital Media Literacy

Abstract

Violence and the media are an important issue that takes up a large part in media theories and research. The interaction between the individual and society and the phenomenon of violence that can be increased or normalized can be examined and discussed not only in the media axis but also in many other disciplines in terms of different variables. Though it is unlikely to be the only factor affecting the phenomenon of violence, media tools and developments in technology have now caused violence to be debated in different dimensions. In this research, the effects of the concepts of information literacy, cyber violence and emotional deafness (alexithymia) on the perception of individuals as violating legitimacy are discussed as factors that cause individuals to perceive violence as legitimate through communication tools. Given the views that excessive use of the internet in the literature and excessive time in social media cause social isolation of individuals, the relationship between emotional deafness and violent exposure to violence in the media and legitimacy of violence is aroused. In this research conducted with the participation of 400 university students, it was determined that variables of cyber violence exposure, display of cyber violence behavior, information literacy and alexithymia (emotional deafness) were explanatory effects on legitimacy of cyber violence. In this context, it has come to the point that the use of information literacy and conscious internet is important in order to prevent individuals from seeing cyber violence as legitimate.