Socio-technical investigation of cyberbullying among adults: A qualitative content analysis of the legal responses to a complex social problem

Cyberbullying is a growing concern, intensified by the widespread use of the Internet, social media, and mobile technologies. Features such as anonymity, impersonation, and the instantaneous reach to vast audiences enabled by these technologies further amplify the risks associated with cyberbullying. Although an extensive body of literature has examined cyberbullying, there remains a notable gap in socio-technical discourse, particularly concerning how individuals engage with social and technological environments to perpetrate cyberbullying. Specifically, the nuanced roles of technology and the dynamic interplay among offenders, victims, technologies, and forms of guardianship are rarely explored in depth within the existing literature. This study addresses these gaps by analyzing 75 court cases of cyberbullying, applying the principles of the general theory of crime (GTC) and routine activity theory (RAT) through a socio-technical lens that focuses on the offender, the victim, the technologies involved, and guardianship. The findings reveal two distinct processes by which cyberbullying emerges: “fist-to-click” and “born-digital.” These categories provide novel insights into the trajectories of adult cyberbullying and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon.