Stalking in the digital age: An application of cyberlifestyle routine activity theory

Cyberstalking is an increasing concern in modern Korean society, particularly among adolescents and young adults, who face heightened risks due to their extensive online presence. This age group frequently uses digital platforms to manage daily tasks, build social status, and establish online networks, thereby increasing their exposure to online victimization. This study employs the lifestyle- routine activity framework to explore the risk and protective factors associated with cyberstalking, using a sample of 439 undergraduate students from a South Korean university. The results show that 21.2% of participants reported experiencing cyberstalking in the past 12 months. Moreover, five separate regression models were performed to test the applicability of the theory to five types of cyberstalking: unwanted contact, sexual advances, harassment, threats of violence, and overall cyberstalking. The regression analyses identified several online behaviors that increase the risk of exposure to cyberstalking, including the number of social media followers, use of online dating applications, accepting friend requests from strangers, the number of messaging apps used, and online peer deviance. The study concludes by highlighting the limitations of the current research and addressing the implications for future research and practice.