Cyberloafing,

Cyberslacking &
Cyberbullying
Prof. Dr. Meltem Huri
Baturay
Cyberloafing/Cyberslacking
● Refers to the act of using the internet for non-work-related activities during work
hours, often to the detriment of one's job responsibilities.
● This behavior involves using company resources, such as computers and internet
access, for personal purposes while an individual is on the clock.
Common Examples
● Browsing Social Media: Employees might spend a significant portion of their workday on
platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, scrolling through posts, liking, and commenting
on content.
● Online Shopping: Shopping websites and e-commerce platforms can be a common distraction.
Employees may engage in shopping activities, such as browsing, adding items to their carts, and
making purchases.
● Watching Videos: Streaming videos on platforms like YouTube or Netflix can be a significant
time-waster. Employees may watch movie trailers, cat videos, or TV shows during working
hours.
● Personal Emails and Messaging: Checking personal emails, sending personal messages, or
engaging in instant messaging apps like WhatsApp can consume work hours.
● Online Games: Some employees may indulge in online gaming, playing games that are
unrelated to their job responsibilities.
Ethical Dilemma for Employees and Employers
Employees:

● Time Theft: When employees engage in cyberslacking, they are essentially stealing their employers' time and resources.
● Productivity: By spending work hours on personal internet activities, employees compromise their own productivity,
potentially leading to job dissatisfaction and hindered career growth.
● Resource Misuse: Using company resources for personal gain can strain company resources, leading to potential limitations
on work-related activities.

Employers:

● Lost Productivity: Cyberslacking can lead to a significant loss of productivity within the workplace, affecting the overall
efficiency of the organization.
● Resource Wastage: Employers invest in technology and internet access for work-related tasks. Cyberslacking leads to the
wastage of these resources.
● Trust and Accountability: Employers need to trust their employees to act ethically and responsibly. Cyberslacking can erode
this trust, affecting workplace morale and culture.
● Legal and Ethical Responsibilities: Employers may have legal and ethical responsibilities to ensure that their employees are
not engaging in activities that can harm the organization's reputation, security, or productivity
The Study: An investigation of the impact of demographics on
cyberloafing from an educational setting angle (Baturay & Toker,
2015)
● Method: Correlational study with 282 high school students
● Data Collection: Demographic information (gender, grade, Internet skills, usage,
experience) and cyberloafing questionnaires
● Cyberloafing Behaviors: Personal business, news follow-up, and socialization
● Key Findings:
○ Males cyberloaf more than females.
○ Advanced-expert users cyberloaf more than novice-intermediate users.
○ Those who use the internet every day cyberloaf more than less frequent users.
○ More years of internet experience increase cyberloafing behaviors.
The Study: An investigation of the impact of demographics on
cyberloafing from an educational setting angle (Baturay & Toker,
2015)
● Introduction: The use of ICT is critical in today's Knowledge Economy. However,
misuse of the internet, termed "cyberloafing," is on the rise.
● Cyberloafing Defined: Cyberloafing refers to non-work-related internet activities
during work/school hours.
● Positive and Negative Aspects: Cyberloafing can be both negative (reducing
productivity) and positive (a stress reliever).
● Factors Influencing Cyberloafing: Various factors, including gender, occupation,
income, and workplace practices, influence cyberloafing behavior.
● Cyberloafing at School: While mainly studied in workplaces, cyberloafing also occurs
in educational settings, affecting both students and instructors. It's important to
understand these behaviors in school environments.
The Study: An investigation of the impact of demographics on
cyberloafing from an educational setting angle (Baturay & Toker,
2015)
● Study Design: Correlational study to evaluate relationships between variables.
● Research Questions:
○ Types of cyberloafing behaviors in educational settings?
○ Predictive demographic characteristics for cyberloafing?
○ How demographics affect different cyberloafing types (gender, grade, internet skills, usage, experience)?
● Participants: 282 high school students (149 males, 133 females), with varied internet usage patterns and experience.
● Instruments: Two questionnaires:
● Demographic questionnaire: Gathers demographic data.
● Cyberloafing questionnaire: Modified from Kalaycı (2010) with three sub-factors - personal business, socialization, and
news follow-up.
● Personal Business: 6 questions on online shopping, job searching, auction sites.
● Socialization: 5 questions about social networking tools.
● News Follow-up: 2 questions related to reading news.
● Reliability: High reliability reported for the sub-factors in the cyberloafing questionnaire.
● Location: Data collected from a Turkish high school.
The Results of the Study
● All three types of cyberloafing observed: personal business, news follow-up, and socialization.
● Socialization was the most common type, aligning with teenagers' frequent use of socialization
tools.
● Males engaged in cyberloafing more than females, a common trend.
● Gender had the most significant impact on cyberloafing.
● Higher-grade students cyberloafed more, likely due to increased confidence and familiarity.
● Younger individuals showed less cyberloafing.
● Internet experience over nine years correlated with more cyberloafing.
● Higher Internet skills led to increased cyberloafing, as experts exploit various online
opportunities.
● Frequent internet users cyberloafed more, potentially reflecting a way to take breaks and refresh.
The Results of the Study

● Males cyberloafed more, especially in personal business and news follow-up.

● Socialization gap between genders was narrower.
● Internet skill level influenced socialization cyberloafing.
● Frequent internet users engaged in personal business and socialization cyberloafing.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying refers to the use of digital communication tools, such as social media, texting, or
email, to harass, threaten, or intimidate others.

Common Forms of Cyberbullying

● Harassment: Repeated, hurtful messages or threats.

● Flaming: Online fights, often in public forums.
● Outing: Sharing personal, private information without consent.
● Exclusion: Purposefully excluding someone from online groups or activities.
● Cyberstalking: Persistent and invasive online tracking and harassment.
Impact of Cyberbullying
● Emotional distress, anxiety, depression.
● Isolation and a sense of helplessness.
● Negative effects on mental health, especially in adolescents.
● Legal consequences in some cases.
Cyberbullying
Signs of Cyberbullying
● Sudden Changes: Abrupt shifts in online behavior.
● Emotional Reactions: Expressing fear, anger, or sadness after using digital devices.
● Avoiding Screens: Reluctance to use computers or smartphones.
● Secretive Behavior: Attempting to hide online activities.
● Declining Academic Performance: Cyberbullying can impact school performance.

Preventive Measures
● Open communication with children or peers.
● Setting privacy settings on social media.
● Teaching digital citizenship and online etiquette.
● Monitoring online activities of minors.
● Reporting and blocking bullies.
Cyberbullying
Steps to Take

● Document the Bullying: Save messages, screenshots, or emails as evidence.

● Block the Bully: Use privacy settings to limit contact.
● Report to Authorities: Inform school administrators, employers, or law enforcement.
● Seek Support: Talk to a counselor, therapist, or support group.
● Stay Informed: Keep up with anti-bullying resources and laws.

Promote Online Safety

● Encourage responsible online behavior.

● Teach empathy, kindness, and digital ethics.
● Raise awareness of the impact of cyberbullying.