Role of moral disengagement and media literacy in the relationships between risky online content exposure and cyberaggression among Korean adolescents

This study investigated the relationships among exposure to risky online content, moral disengagement, media literacy, and cyberaggression in adolescents (aged 13-15 years). Data were obtained from the 2021 Cyber Violence Survey (N = 3,002) conducted by a national agency in the Republic of Korea using systematic stratified sampling. The survey assessed eight aggressive online behaviors as indicators of cyberaggression: verbal violence, defamation, stalking, sending provocative content, personal information leakage, bullying, extortion, and coercion. Additionally, media literacy was assessed using two components relevant to the online environment: trust testing and privacy management, and intimacy sharing with strangers. The findings revealed a positive association between exposure to risky online content and moral disengagement among adolescents, which was mitigated by higher levels of media literacy, particularly regarding intimacy sharing (e.g., disagreeing with exchanging photos or information with strangers or sharing passwords with friends). Moral disengagement related to cyberaggression increased the likelihood of aggressive behavior online. Furthermore, media literacy (trust testing and privacy management, intimacy sharing) reduced both cyberaggression and moral disengagement. Our findings imply that providing media literacy along with tackling moral disengagement would counter cyberaggression effectively. Future research could consider the longitudinal impact of media literacy on cyberaggression.