OIC-CERT Journal of Cyber Security

Volume 3, Issue 1 (April 2021)

21 - 30

Cyberbullying via Social Media: Case Studies in Malaysia

Azriq Ariffin1, Nurul Mohd2, and Thurgeaswary Rokanatnam3
CyberSecurity Malaysia, Cyberjaya, Malaysia
1azriq@cybersecurity.my, 2nurul@cybersecurity.my,
3
thurgeas1197@yahoo.com

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article History Cyberbullying is generally defined as employing

Received 06 Feb electronic communication to bully or harass a person on
2020 the Internet, particularly on the social media sites.
Received in revised Advances in technology and better Internet access have
form 13 Aug 2020 enabled cyberbullies to find their way into the IT world.
Accepted 8 Mar 2021 This paper presents two cyberbullying cases through the
social media platforms in Malaysia involving suicide
Keywords: attempts. It highlights and presents a detailed discussion
Cyberbullying; on the investigation and analysis process that reveals
Social media; Cyber frightful and alarming facts on how social media are
awareness; Safer manipulated negatively which can lead to death. This
internet paper also shares a learning module entitled the National
Cybersecurity Awareness Module, an initiative by
CyberSecurity Malaysia in ensuring safer Internet usage
in Malaysia. The module consists of six topics including
cyberbullying and is aimed at providing awareness and
exposure to the need for safe conduct while using the
social media. The suggestions and recommendations
offered are towards ensuring a secure, resilient, and
sustainable social media.

I. INTRODUCTION instance, cyberbullying has emerged

as a potential harm with negative
The usage of the social media as a influence on the mental health.
communication channel has grown
tremendously and has become a Cyberbullying may have many
necessity instead of a luxury. Anyone serious and negative impacts on a
around the world who has access to the person’s life and even lead to suicide.
Internet has the potential to Harmful cyberbullying behaviour can
communicate with and attract a include posting rumours, threats,
massive global audience. While there sexual remarks, cyberstalking,
are many benefits to social media, trolling, flaming, sharing negative and
such ubiquitous communication can false content, and denigration. As a
also be used for negative purposes. For result, cyberbullying victims may

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experience low self-esteem, increased III. METHODOLOGY

suicidal ideation and a variety of
negative emotional responses, The analysis was conducted by
including being scared, frustrated, reviewing existing literature on
angry, and depressed. cyberbullying. Our goal was to
examine whether the researchers had
developed useful insight into this
II. RELATED WORKS subject and to learn whether consensus
agreement had already been reached
Cyberbullying has reached an on this subject. Based on our
alarming rate in Malaysia. The Star, observations, we have found that there
one of the major newspaper in the are several literatures focusing on
country, based on a nationwide survey cyberbullying. Most of the literatures
conducted, found that 8 out of 10 reviewed are valuable in term of
school children have experienced framing the contexts rather than
bullying in their schools [1]. Malaysia directly providing a solution to the
has seen some brutal physical bullying issues of this study. The materials
cases, such as the death of 19-year-old reviewed include articles found on the
teenager, T. Nhaveen, who was beaten websites, published conference
up and sodomized by his former materials, and referred publications.
school bullies. Not to forget the death
of navy cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman The analysis was also done with
Zulkarnain, who was tortured and reference to the Malaysia
murdered by university mates over an Cybersecurity Strategy 2020-2024
allegedly stolen laptop [2]. Even (MCSS). This strategy’s key
though cyberbullying is done in the objectives have been outlined in five
virtual world, the victims face (5) strategic pillars. This paper
consequences as real as those who referred to pillar four (4) which aims
suffer physically. to enhance capacity and capability
building, awareness and education
According to a survey conducted through three (3) strategic initiatives.
by the Malaysia Communications and Diagram 1 illustrate the pillars of
Multimedia Commissions (MCMC) MCSS which is one of the basis of this
involving 14,000 school students, analysis.
70% of the respondents admitted to
having been harassed online through
improper pictures or messages posted
and being called mean names [3].
Meanwhile, statistics provided by
MyCERT (Malaysia Computer
Emergency Response Team) of
CyberSecurity Malaysia show that
they received 260 reports on cyber
Diagram 1: The pillars of MCSS
harassment cases in 2019 [4].

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IV. FORMS OF sensitive details about

CYBERBULLYING someone without their
consent. This is done
solely to embarrass the
There are many forms of victim on social media
cyberbullying discussed and referred platforms by spreading
to. Flaming, trolling, cyberstalking, personal photos or
documents or sharing an
denigration, harassment,
individual’s personal
masquerading, flooding, exclusion messages.
and outing are several types of
Trickery is similar to outing but
cyberbullying that exist [5]. Based on involves deception. The
a survey conducted by Statista, bully will befriend the
posting mean or hurtful comments victim and try to gain
online, spreading rumours about their trust before
someone online, threatening to hurt abusing that trust by
sharing the victim’s
someone via phone calls or texting, secrets and private
posting mean or hurtful pictures of information to third
someone online, creating mean or parties.
hurtful webpages about someone, and Cyberstalking a severe form of
sharing racial or sexist remarks about cyberbullying that can
someone online are among the most go to the extent of
common types of cyberbullying physical harm threats,
false accusations, and
identified [6]. monitoring.

The following table shows a list of Fraping when a bully uses a

victim’s social
cyberbullying and the definitions networking accounts to
post inappropriate
TABLE 1: Types of Cyberbullying [7] content using their
name. For example,
Type/form Definition
someone may post
Exclusion the act of leaving racial/homophobic slurs
someone out of a through someone else’s
situation deliberately. online profile to ruin
For example, a teenager their reputation.
being left out of
Masquerading happens when a bully
message threads or
creates a made-up
group conversations
profile using a victim’s
that involve mutual
personal information
friends.
and pictures.
Harassment a general category into
Dissing when the bully spreads
which many types of
bad information about
cyberbullying fall, but it
the victim through
mainly refers to a
public posts or private
persistent pattern of
messages to ruin their
mean and dangerous
reputation and
online messages sent
relationships with other
with the intention of
people.
harming someone.
Trolling the act of bullying by
Outing/doxing refers to openly
intentionally posting
revealing personal and

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hurtful comments remarried a man with a 15-year-old

online to upset others. son.
These bullies do not
have a personal
relationship with the Earlier that evening when Davia
victims. died, her stepbrother invited her for
Flaming is similar to trolling but dinner, but she refused. The city police
involves more direct chief added that Davia updated her
attacks on victims, Facebook status with “WANNA
provoking them into QUIT F****** LIFE I’M TIRED,”
online fights.
before adding it to her Instagram story.
She also sent out a heartfelt WeChat
status to her friends in Chinese later
V. CASE STUDIES that day. After her death, Davia’s
cousin posted a story on her Instagram
A. Case 1 account with “Just now you guys
voted for “D” and this happened…
A recent case that has shocked Happy now?” (see Picture 1) [8].
Malaysians was that of a 16-year-old
teenager who committed suicide after According to MCMC, those who
her Instagram followers voted in a poll incited the 16-year-old girl in Sarawak
that she should die. On 13th May 2019, to commit suicide based on the poll on
Davia Emilia jumped to her death her Instagram, may be liable under
from a third-floor apartment in Batu Section 305 of the Penal Code, which
Kawa New Township, Kuching, states that it is wrong to incite
Sarawak. She posted an Instagram individuals aged below 18 to commit
story earlier that day, around 3pm, suicide.
asking her followers to choose
whether she should live or die. The
result showed 69% voted “D” that
stands for “die” and the remaining
voted “L” that means “live”. After
returning from dinner at 8pm, her
stepbrother found Davia lying lifeless
below their rented unit. According to
her neighbour, Davia was studious and
always had a book with her whenever
Picture 1: Victim's Instagram poll and her cousin's
she was in a coffee shop nearby. She post about her death
died 10 days before the mid-year
school holiday started. Davia came B. Case 2
from a broken family. A local news
station reported that her depression Another tragedy occurred in
originated when her father separated Penang when a young man jumped to
and remarried a Vietnamese woman in his death from a flat after leaving a
Singapore. It was also stated her father suicide note on Facebook (see Picture
seldom visited her. On the other hand, 2). On 2 May 2017, 20-year-old Teh
her mother, an Indonesian woman, Wen Chun, an engineering student,

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jumped from the 17th floor flat in

Tanjung Bungah, Georgetown,
Penang. It was learnt that Teh had
posted an apparent intention to
commit suicide on his Facebook page
prior to the incident. Wen Chun’s
friends revealed that he was struggling
with his studies and was under a lot of Picture 2: Victim's Facebook profile suggesting his
stress. He could not cope with the intention to commit suicide
course he chose [9].

After his controversial death, a post

VI. INTERVENTION
on the TARUC Confessions-Penang
MEASURES
Facebook page explained what
happened to Wen Chun. The post A. General measures
made by an anonymous student said
the victim was hurt by anonymous
Victims can fight cyberbullying by
posts online. Wen Chun became
taking certain measures like not
depressed by an article that tarnished
responding to it. Striking back makes
his image online. His friends did not
the victim become a bully as well. It is
notice his suffering until he revealed
natural to want to fight back but
his intention to kill himself. Despite
stooping to the bully’s level to justify
his friends’ effort to make him give up
oneself is not a clever act. Children
the idea of committing suicide, Wen
must seek an adult’s help, be it a
Chun did it anyway. Wen Chun’s
parent, sibling, teacher or professional
father, Ben Hock, told The Star Online
[11]. Another step that can be taken is
he was aware of his son being bullied
to gather evidence of the bullying,
in the cyberspace. Wen Chun display
such as online messages or posts sent
change in behaviour when some of his
by the bully. There are several non-
college mates criticized and called him
governmental organizations willing to
names on Facebook. The father added
help children affected by
that Wen Chun said everything was
cyberbullying like the Befrienders
fine and did not complain about the
Malaysia and Penang Protect and Save
bullying. Ben Hock said his son
the Children and the Women’s Centre
probably could not handle the
for Change that offer helpline
cyberbullying, which led to his suicide
services. Cyberbullying can also be
[10].
reported online by emailing to
CyberSecurity Malaysia’s Cyber999
or using the mobile app available on
Google Play and App Store [12].

Instagram too has taken certain

corrective steps to curb cyberbullying.
This application uses artificial
intelligence (AI) technology to

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minimize mean behaviours. The AI made by filling out an online form

algorithms can detect potentially [14].
problematic content before it is posted
and advises users of consequences that B. Signs of being cyberbullied
might arise. Instagram has also
included a new feature called Everyone should always look out
“Restrict” that allows users to block for certain symptoms in their children
those who might post rude comments. and people around if cyberbullying is
A restricted user will not know that suspected. The victim appears nervous
their comments will not be visible to whenever receiving texts, emails, or
other users. If the restricted user sends instant messages. Loss of appetite and
messages, these will automatically go being secretive or uneasy when asked
into the spam folder of the message about their social media life are also
request inbox. The user can choose to indications of cyberbullying [15].
either read or ignore the messages sent Other classic signs are indulging in
by the restricted user. The restrict self-destructive behaviours, avoiding
feature allows the online relationship social activities, and loss of interest in
to continue but offers some controls of education and sports [16]. Children
who and what can be seen. Users are might also have trouble sleeping at
also given the option to block night or become frustrated after going
someone to completely separate online [17]. In some cases, parents are
themselves from the individual. unfortunately the last ones to know
However, victims often prefer not to that their child is a victim of
use this option because they are afraid cyberbullying.
of the bully’s reaction. Twitter has a
similar feature for when individuals C. National cybersecurity awareness
tweet or reply with hurtful comments module
[13].
CyberSAFE (Cyber Security
Facebook gives the option to report Awareness for Everyone -
inappropriate posts, comments, or www.cybersecurity.my) with the
pictures. The app has also set a few motto “Be Smart, Be Safe!” is
community standards it complies to, CyberSecurity Malaysia's initiative to
and it does not tolerate pages that educate and enhance the general
identify and degrade individuals. public’s awareness of the
Bullying photos and videos used to technological and social issues facing
shame a victim, unwanted friend Internet users, and particularly the
requests or messages targeted at other dangers of being online.
people, and sharing personal
information to blackmail or harass Through the CyberSAFE Program,
other users are not acceptable. CyberSecurity Malaysia has
Snapchat does not tolerate bullying developed a National Cyber Security
either. If an unwanted message or Awareness Module (NCSAM), which
picture sent to a user indicates is a collaboration between
bullying or harassment, a report can be CyberSecurity Malaysia and the
Ministry of Education Malaysia

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through the Resource and Education iii. Sub Module 3: Cyber

Technology Division. In 2017, the Bullying - Form 1 to Form 3
idea emerged to develop an e-learning (Age 13 to 15)
module based on a report for the iv. Sub Module 4: Cyber
National Baseline Study on Cyber Bullying - Form 4 to Form 5
Security Awareness among School (Age 16 to 17)
Students in 2016 & 2017. The
objectives of this module are: Basically, on these topics, the
participants discuss the definition of
i. To create awareness among cyberbullying, differentiating between
school children. cyberbullying and bullying in real life,
ii. To be an alternative medium best practices to avoid being a victim,
for teachers to teach ICT where to report, identifying the
subjects with cybersecurity characteristics of victims, and the right
elements. things to do when children are facing
iii. To train “Briget Bestari” or bullying situations. The development
Ambassadors to spread of the modules started in 2018. Since
awareness messages among then, the contents are being reviewed
peers. by the ministry and subject matter
iv. To become content for experts to make sure that they are up
Computer Club activities. to date. In 2020, the modules undergo
a pilot project at 300 schools in
The target audience of this module Malaysia to gather feedbacks from the
includes school students aged seven ministry officers, teachers, and
(7) to 17. It also caters to special students. The inputs are used to
education and disability students. improve the module and bring it up to
NCSAM consists of 6 topics: standard in supporting the philosophy
of the national education.
i. Social Media
ii. Cyber Bullying The module will be fully
iii. Internet Safety implemented in 2021. CyberSecurity
Malaysia will collaborate with the
iv. Digital Citizenship
Ministry of Education to ensure the
v. Balancing Time Online successful implementation of the
vi. Online Ethics module towards achieving the
objectives. It is hoped the module will
The module has four (4) sub- help create awareness and also
modules based on the age or class as develop soft skills among students,
follows: especially for public speaking, and
that it will become an influencer in
i. Sub Module 1: Cyber terms of promoting information
Bullying - Standard 1 to security and Internet safety.
Standard 3 (Age 7 to 9)
ii. Sub Module 2: Cyber Besides the development of
Bullying - Standard 4 to NCSAM, a few activities are also in
Standard 6 (Age 10 to 12) place to create awareness among

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school children, especially on having access to the Internet and

cyberbullying issues. The activities smartphones, the risk is growing as
are: anyone could become a victim of
cyberbullying. Efforts from all parties
i. CyberSAFE Awareness Talk. such as families, friends and
Talk on best practices, do's authorities are essential to educate and
and don'ts, current threats, approach the intended audiences from
issues and creating awareness both macro and micro-level
within 30 to 45 minutes. perspectives. Control measures like
ii. CyberSAFE Quest. those imposed by Instagram and
Exploration/race game Facebook show how serious
involving five (5) to six (6) cyberbullying is and that it needs to be
checkpoints. Participants need contained. Prevention is better than
to answer questions related to the cure, hence, NCSAM was
cyber safety before they can developed to help spread awareness
proceed to the next among school children on various
checkpoint. cybersecurity topics including
iii. National ICT Security cyberbullying. For a safer Internet via
Discourse (NICTSeD). digital fluency fostering, mindfulness
Students can sell their ideas of how to be safe online and globally
and proposals on specific recognized etiquette ought to become
topics. This year is going to be second nature to Internet users.
the 8th year of NICTSeD and
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