GRAPHIC VIOLENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND

ITSIMPACT ON YOUNG ADULTS

PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL

2023
Volume: 7
Pages: 646-655
Document ID: 2023PEMJ586
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7750161
Manuscript Accepted: 2023-15-3
Psych Educ, 2023, 7: 646-655, Document ID:2023 PEMJ586, doi:10.5281/zenodo.7750161, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

Graphic Violence on Social Media and Its Impact on Young Adults

Hillery V. Barrios*, Michelle N. Calma, Cherry Mae D. Reyes, Nichole Audrey Galvez, Arlyn N. Azur,
Maria Angelu E. Reyes, Marwin L. Boado, Bea Teresa S. Sengco
For affiliations and correspondence, see the last page.
Abstract
Violence is visible anywhere, but in today's generation, it is more evident on the internet. Social
media has a significant influence on how people perceive violence. Frequent exposure to violent
events may act as a trigger for aggressive behavior. Researchers interviewed young adults to identify
the causes and effects of exposure to graphic violence on social media in order to assess the
determinants and reactions in witnessing violence while utilizing social media. The findings show
that graphic violence on social media has a negative physical and psychological impact on young
adults. Despite the use of social media applications, there is still a lack of security when it comes to
hacking, content monitoring, and the revealing of private information. The media wields power in
society and can influence people's opinions, lifestyles, and habits. From a safety standpoint, the study
underlines the importance of taking social media platform's privacy settings and users' knowledge
of these settings into account, which may keep them from viewing graphic violent content on social
media and prevent detrimental influence on young adult users.

Keywords: violence, social media, young adults, content

Introduction Furthermore, this research attempted to respond by

As a result of widespread fake news and social media
exploitation, people are subject to abuse and violence.
Nowadays, when technology and the internet dominate
everyone's everyday lives, some repercussions become
apparent to an individual. The positive and negative
impacts are two categories into which effects can be
occasionally divided. Certain occurrences can
influence a person's behavior, causing them to act in
an unpleasant way or against human ideals. These
manifestations anchored modern trends that the
available technologies support.
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Messenger,
YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok dominate the
internet mainstream, allowing everyone to access
millions of pieces of information. Different people can
meet and form connections all across the world.
Young adults are sensitive to these occurrences
because they are always eager to have fun, learn and
interact, share hobbies, establish their identities, and
engage with people around them, all of which
motivates them to move. Despite all of the benefits of
social media, excessive usage has been associated with
a higher risk of depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-
cells, and even suicidal idealization in many people.
When young adults are continuously exposed to this
environment, possible dangers may arise that may
impede an individual's growth and development and
lead to unwanted behaviors that could impair their
relationships with others in the real world.
examining alternative causes and remedies.
Additionally, the purpose of this research is to look at
the influence of violent content on social media on
young adults.
Moreover, this study is a qualitative analysis of violent
material and its influence on young adults. The
purpose of this study is to investigate how graphic
violence on social media influences young adults’
behavior. The reasons for their involvement in such
material, as well as how their use of social media
applications affects their behavior and way of life.
Researchers will also look at how young adults deal
with and overcome the impact of graphic violent
content in their lives. Hence, this study sought to
answer the following questions:
1. What are the reasons for using social media
applications?
2. What were the circumstances that consumers
encountered when using social media applications?
3. What factors contribute to the effect of viewing
violence?
4. How do young adults respond to the impact of
violent content on social media?
Literature Review
This section of the research study offers information
from various reference materials that examine,
elaborate, and take advantage of the many lines of
argument from research professionals.

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Research Article
Synthesis of the Reviewed Literature and Studies
Media Violence and Aggression
On social media sites, there has been a lot of violence.
Several video compilations have been shared on social
media and video gaming platforms. Bostic talked
about websites like World Star Hip Hop and YouTube
in 2014, where a new fad known as battle compilations
is gaining stream. Fight compilations are videos made
out of snatches of fights captured by ordinary people,
usually on their phones. Usually, it is spectators who
post it to other websites. Surprisingly, these films are
being seen, with some movies receiving over a million
views. The kids have been identified as social media
users who are prone to the propagation of illicit
conduct. Peer violence manifests itself in the form of
bullying, harassment, and intimate relationship abuse.
Furthermore, social media has aided gang-related
crime and antagonism. It is also used to inflict self-
harm, most notably through cyber-suicide. As a result,
young children who are regularly exposed to this form
of aggressiveness are usually injured.
Furthermore, teenagers who view violent movies on a
daily basis are more prone to participate in antisocial
conduct, which can vary from toy violence to criminal
violence. Acceptance of this aggressive behavior
might cause heightened animosity and desensitization
to violent behavior. While this content may not be
appropriate for all kids who see it, keep in mind that
inexperienced teenagers may assume that this conduct
(aggressive fighting) is okay. According to Furlow
(2017), increasing child and teenage interpersonal
aggression has been connected to violent media.
Computer security software can be used to limit access
to violent material. It is vital for parents to set a
positive example by refraining from watching violent
media. Changing one's exposure to violence in the
media is often a more feasible answer. If youth are
exposed to violent material on a frequent basis, they
might get desensitized to it on a regular basis.
Furthermore, a social networking program contains
several risky characteristics because everyone has the
ability to remark, like, and share. Spreading phony
comedy has been prevalent, and online disagreements
may occasionally evolve into real-life conflicts in
which individuals file lawsuits against each other.
According to Elsaesser (2021), the internet offers
various elements, such as like, share, comments, and
live broadcasts, and that peer pressure from posting
has led to the transformation of online disagreements
into real-life violence. To avoid this, practicing the
avoidance of malicious content and minding your own
business can lessen the negative effect of online
Barrios et al.
quarrels. In addition, images and videos of individuals
and groups illegally entering venues affiliated with
rival organizations, as well as significant acts of theft
and violence against youth, are commonly shared on
social networking sites (Rogers & Pinkney, 2021).
Additionally, some social media accounts are
dedicated solely to taking and sharing images of
seriously injured, abused, or humiliated youth.
Social Media's Influence on Children, Adolescents,
and Families
Everyone suffers psychological and gender pressure in
public areas, at work, in institutions, and even on the
internet when it comes to domestic and immediate
sexual victimization. Men, teens, and LGBTQIA
people are not immune to the sort of harassment that
makes public places uncomfortable for them (Aliliran,
2021). Due to COVID-19, everyone is spending hours
at home and on the internet, especially those
attempting to complete their education through online
programs. In line with teen bullying, it should never be
normalized and should not be done in any way. No one
should ever choose to respect it just because they saw
it in any type of platform they may have accessed. All
forms of violence should never be perpetuated.
Furthermore, a significant number of young women
and girls surveyed genuinely believe that the
COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely crucial
online. But making them vulnerable to violence on the
web has limited their self-expression and alienated
people from virtual networks, which has left them
psychologically anxious and feeling vulnerable
(Narvaez, 2020).
Undiyaundeye (2014) stated that many social media
websites display more than one ad, which includes
banner ads, behavioral ads that focus on web browsing
behavior, and demographic ads that focus on selected
aspects such as age, gender, and location. Upbringing
and martial reputation influence pre-adolescent and
child dispositions about what is normal. There is
information that a teenager does not know about
privacy on social media sites. Be vigilant in training
young people and children to be careful when
providing personal information online and how to
avoid danger. Furthermore, parents are concerned
about the influence of the Internet on their children's
social skills. Children are spending less time on social
activities and connecting with their families and
friends. On the other hand, the Internet allows people
to make new friends from all over the world.
Parental Role on Restrictions of Internet Use
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Research Article
Platforms such as TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and
Snapchat can be lifesavers for teens who are feeling
lonely or alienated, especially LGBTQ youth. During
the epidemic, social media also helped young people
feel more connected and less alone. The impact of
social media on children, on the other hand, can be
detrimental to their mental health. Adolescent
depression and social networking are closely linked.
Children regard social media networking sites as cool,
and their classmates may urge them to join. The
websites do not provide any risks which are not
already available on the internet. The risk is that the
person and the child will be exposed to danger in an
unfamiliar online environment.
Lenhart et al. (2019) found that most parents of
internet-using teens say they address the dos and don'ts
of online activity with their children. Parents are
statistically substantially more likely than teenagers to
claim they discuss a range of issues with their children.
Topics for teenagers include how to correctly use the
internet and telephones, as well as what should and
should not be said online. 93 percent of parents and 85
percent of teenagers say they've talked to their kids
about how to use the internet responsibly. When it
comes to digital security, teenagers who have gotten
vile messages online are considerably less likely to
discuss the issue with their parents. Girls are more
likely than boys to discuss internet safety with their
parents. Even though parents have cautioned their
children, parents are likely to be busy and cannot
supervise their children 24/7, leaving some youngsters
vulnerable to online danger.
Additionally, a recent study of internet usage (Chua,
2021) discussed that the Philippines continues to
dominate, with the most hours spent on social media in
2021 for six consecutive years, tracing information
from the annual report of advertising company, We
Are Social and Hoot Suite. The most famous websites
are Facebook, Messenger, YouTube, Instagram, and
TikTok. According to the latest survey data on the use
of social networks and messaging applications, both
adults and teens have access to smartphones, and 45%
report being social online. As a result, even if both
ages have access to devices and the internet, the
harmful consequences of regular usage cannot be
prevented, even with supervision, because adults are
also glued to social media programs and platforms.
Social Media Applications on Psychological Well
Being
Children and adults exposed to violence through
electronic media are more likely to act violently in the
Barrios et al.
near term, but children are more likely to act
aggressively over time. It dramatically raises the risk,
and it does so at the same rate as several other public-
health hazards. When presented with this threat, not
everyone becomes aggressive. However, this does not
invalidate the necessity to address it because social
networking sites use psychological biases and
vulnerabilities like our desire for affirmation and our
fear of rejection to keep users' attention for as long as
possible. Spending too much time on social media,
even just scrolling through posts, has been linked to
feelings of jealousy, inadequacy, and overall misery. It
is suggested in research that it causes ADHD, sadness,
anxiety, and sleep deprivation symptoms. Even when
violence is perpetrated online, it has real-life
consequences. According to research, cyberbullying
victims are more likely than other teens to use drugs,
drink alcohol, and miss school. They're also more
likely to struggle in school, have low self-esteem, and
have health issues. In severe circumstances,
cyberbullying has been linked to suicide. Gansner
(2017) claims that viewers want to connect, but
unethical participation may be problematic for the
audience. The use of social networking platforms
might result in intense disputes. The amount of time
people spend on social networking sites directly
correlates with aggressive behavior. Media coverage
of suicide can spread that can result in copycat
suicides because the internet allows unrestricted access
to images of real-life violence and popular videos of
murders and gang violence uploaded to Facebook
Live. It exposes users and may result in potential
violent behavior that can increase copycat violence.
Furthermore, people who spend hours on social
networking sites liking their friends' pictures could be
significantly more inclined to exhibit other traits
associated with violent behavior. While more
debatable, still, there is increasing evidence that
pathological internet use can be associated with
depressive disorders.
Furthermore, the goal of social media networks is to
maintain users' interest for as long as possible by
taking advantage of our mental biases and
vulnerabilities, such as our desire for validation and
fear of rejection. Spending too much time on social
media can lead to feelings of inadequacy, inferiority,
and unhappiness. It aggravates loneliness. The quantity
of likes or compliments obtained by other users
generates these sentiments. These likes can
temporarily alleviate loneliness, yet they cannot
entirely replace social engagement. Teenagers who are
lonely outside of social media may become even
lonelier if they use it to supplement their weak social
skills (Fersko, 2018).
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Research Article
In 2021, Selvi reviewed the fact that violence is a
psychological phenomenon that can be found in both
traditional and virtual media, including television and
newspapers. In conformity with a clinical study, kids
exposed to violence are more likely to exhibit negative
qualities such as aggressive impulses, anger, and
introversion. Violent content in computer games,
television shows, and movies has a comparable effect.
Incitement to aggressiveness, fear of victimization,
depersonalization, and the impact of hunger are four
significant outcomes of media violence that influence
people. These four impacts give adequate evidence for
comprehending media violence's harmful implications.
In addition, one of the most crucial factors leading to
the growth of violence in a society is the perception of
violence as a normal, pleasant, and normal aspect of
daily life, rather than an unjust, damaging, and
destructive part of existence. This hypothesis has
substantial support from media tools, whichever the
first sources of personalization's influence. All of this
violence seeps into our daily lives via the media and
has a cascading impact on society.
On the other hand, Pascual (2019) says that while the
digital revolution is still in its early stages, it is
undeniably having an influence on society. Filipinos
are progressively acclimating. Students utilize it to
improve their studies and research as well as to engage
with others. Social media is also making connections
more accessible to Filipinos, transforming it into a
mode of communication. The negative consequences
are inescapable. However, by mastering the art of
information sorting and using websites and
ap p lication s wisely, Filip ino s can avoid
misinformation and online backlash. In addition,
Filipinos are utilizing it to sell something, presenting
the rest of the globe with different aspects of the
Philippines. The meaningful contacts we make in
person, using both verbal and nonverbal cues, provide
a deep and enduring source of personal pleasure and
contentment. Utilizing digital platforms in moderation
allows children to keep connections with family and
friends, perhaps enhancing their offline interactions.
The utilization of social media applications causes
detrimental impacts on a person's psychological health
since it reduces anxiety-provoking thoughts of threat.
The Perpetuation of Sexual abuse on Social Media
The digital environment should be safer for children
while extending internet access to the most vulnerable.
Children face tremendous risks in the Philippines,
which is the world's biggest source of child
pornographic content and a hub for the real-time child
molestation trade. Approximately 80% of Filipino
Barrios et al.
children and adolescents are at risk of sexual abuse or
bullying online. Child pornography is a multibillion-
dollar industry, with youngsters from the Philippines
being transferred and tormented online. Children who
are forced to do sex acts in front of a live feed will
never be able to regain their innocence (Pasion, 2017).
In 2020, Gomez tackled the fact that the Philippines
has recently emerged as a global hot spot for online
commercial sexual exploitation, and that the spread of
the coronavirus, which confines Filipinos to their
homes, may play a part in the increase of crimes. With
everyone's concerns these days, it's impossible to deny
that one must always look for a way to survive in any
way possible, just to put food on the table. It's
indisputable that there was a high amount of online
violence during the early phases of the pandemic due
to the restrictions on going out, with young people
engaging in sexual actions under the misguided notion
that it's a job they could and should acquire because of
internet harassment. Some girls and young women
have effectively lost confidence or are under emotional
or psychological strain. This type of aggression should
never be accepted as normal. No one should believe
this type of violence, such as swearing or body
shaming, is acceptable. It is not an isolated incident.
More than half of young Filipino women and girls
have experienced some form of online harassment on
social networking networks. Online harassment
includes threats of sexual assault, sexual harassment,
threats of physical violence, anti-LGBTQ+ statements,
racist remarks, sexual objectification, purposeful
humiliation, surveillance, and abusive and insulting
vocabulary (Cabalza, 2020).
Methodology
This part presents the processes and procedures
utilized by the researchers in crafting this research
paper.
Research Design
This study is a qualitative research design and used an
open-ended interview questionnaire method in
conducting and exploring the impact of violent content
on social media on young adults and what variety of
experiences resulted in continued exposure. The
researchers applied the purposive sampling method.
Researchers also gathered information on respondents'
details and the results of structured interviews and
examined the potential relationship between graphic
violent content on social media and its effect on young
adults in Quezon City.
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Research Participants
The interview gathered a total of 15 respondents who
are currently residing in Quezon City, ranging in age
from 18 to 25, and coming from different demographic
backgrounds. The respondents were both men and
women. They are users of social media platforms for a
variety of purposes, such as their careers, education,
communication, and other goals. The participants are
users of social media platforms for a variety of
reasons, including leisure, employment, school, and
other forms of contact. They are between the ages of
18 to 25 and are residents of Barangay Sangandaan,
Quezon City. The data gathered consists of nine male
and six female participants interviewed by the
researchers; the participants were chosen regardless of
gender.
Data Collection Procedure
The phases of this research go through various stages.
To collect data, researchers did the following:
Participants were provided with an informed consent
form and had been notified about the intention of the
survey interview. Researchers provided open-ended
interview questions that allowed participants to fully
clarify and share their thoughts and encounters.
Participant responses are not constrained or scripted.
The respondents were allowed to use Filipino or
English as well as their vernacular language.
Researchers created questionnaires containing research
questions. The survey was administered to 15
respondents, ages 18 to 25, in Quezon City. After
obtaining informed consent, the interview was
conducted, the data was gathered, and the research
questions were then addressed by interpreting and
analyzing the data to derive results, discussions, and
conclusions. Additionally, the data obtained were
analyzed using thematic analysis. Thematic analysis
can be used as an important tool for generating more
useful information. It can be viewed as a structured
way to gather knowledge about the participants'
experiences.
Results and Discussion
This part presents the results of the study after the
analysis of the data gathered by the researcher in
crafting this research paper.
The Demographic Profile of Participants
Fifteen participants underwent the process of gathering
Barrios et al.
data through interviews, consisting of 9 males and 6
females with an age range of 18 to 25 and mean age of
21.2. All participants are users of social media
platforms for the following reasons: communication,
academic purposes, news sourcing, job applications,
and online socialization. There are twelve college
students and three working individuals.
Reasons for using Social Media
Nowadays, social media has a more complex function
in society. Connecting, communicating, and
exchanging information are its primary objectives.
This formerly straightforward objective of connection
has developed into activities like friendship, dating,
the online sale of products and services, and exercising
one's freedom of speech. Social media plays a big part
in our daily lives. In addition to using it for academic
purposes, communication, entertainment, news, and
current events, we also utilized it to keep track of
significant events, check the weather, and learn about
jobs. In addition, individuals can now communicate
with anyone, anywhere, at any time because of
technology and the Internet. The desire to connect with
others and to be a part of a group is a basic human
desire. Users can participate in an online groups based
on their interests or hobbies. Everything, including
businesses, has gone digital (Leiter, 2014).
“For me there was several ways to use social media
application but the most important to me is first I use
for the way of communicating others, Second I use for
the way of Entertainment and lastly I use it to know
some news and current events.” – JV
“For ano, academic purposes, saka libangan.” –
Nangnang
“I used social media for gathering some information
(about) weather updates and finding (a) job, but the
most important thing why I used social media is
reminiscing of some good memory.” – Micua
Experiences while Using Social Media
The results showed that the participants' experiences
were centered around amusement as a leisure activity
and boredom relief. According to the participants, they
tailor the contents depending on their tastes,
preventing them from accessing illegal content, so the
contents they are watching are connected to their
choices. Additionally, social interaction and
communication with colleagues, friends, family, and
other relatives dominated their experiences. Some
participants read news stories regarding societal
problems the nation is facing. While some participants
experienced a poisonous environment as a result of
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watching conflicts between users who used foul
language in their comments and topics that sparked
heated debates in the community, other participants
encountered stressful situations. In 2019, Pascual
stated that the negative consequences are inescapable,
but by using websites and applications wisely,
Filipinos can avoid misinformation and online
backlash. Social media is also making connections
more accessible to Filipinos, as well as improving their
studies and research.
“Actually ano siya... toxic. For me ah, kasi
lumalaganap kasi yung mga fakenews sa socmed so
kailangan talaga mag fact check. So yun, toxic. Dami
kasi nagpapalaganap ng ano… issue, away. Alam mo
yun? Walang peace of mind. (12 hrs kasi) Meron
naman kasing mga ano eh, nakakatawang videos.
Sarap panoorin. Kumbaga pag malungkot ka... ayun
yung coping mechanism ko.” – Robert
“More on ginagamit ko messenger, facebook tapos
tiktok. Kapag wala akong ginagawa nag-ti-tiktok ako,
nanunuod lang ako ng mga videos for entertainment.
Depende kasi, kung ano yung pina-follow mong site
ayun yung lumalabas sa fyp mo, kagaya sa tiktok yung
mga pina-follow ko kasi related sa pageants, sa funny
videos, tapos educational purposes, same lang din sa
facebook.” – Kenjie
“How can I describe my experiences while using it? It
has ups and downs. for the ups it makes way of living
easier and for the downs ... some platform of it is toxic
most especially if we use social platform to share some
wrong information that can affects the lives of each
individual.” – JV
Factors that Contributed to the Effect of Viewing
Violence
The factors included the amount of time spent on their
devices, the exposure they received, their knowledge
of the policies, the kind of social media applications
they used, and their goals for using social media.
According to the respondents, using social media has a
real impact on their daily lives, even more so after
being exposed to graphic online material. The result is
in relation with Gansner (2017) claims that users want
to connect, but unethical participation may be
problematic for the audience. The use of social
networking platforms might result in intense disputes.
The amount of time people spend on social networking
sites directly correlates with aggressive behavior.
People who spend hours on social networking sites
liking their friends' pictures could be significantly
more inclined to exhibit other traits associated with
violent behavior.
Barrios et al.
“For me it can affect us emotionally. Because of the
graphic violence in the media has been increasing and
reaching proportions that really affects dangerously on
one’s life. It can affect individual to become less
sensitive to the pain and suffering of others, it can also
occur to affect behavior, aggressive or harmful ways
toward others.” – JV
“Siguro yung sa kung paano mo i-handle yung
emotion mo kasi minsan kadalasan kapag nakakita
tayo ng mga bayolenteng videos sa social media, hindi
naiiwasan ng mga viewers na ano, na matakot or
siguro ayun yung fear.” – Juna
“Ah at first siguro wala naman yung mga minimal na
encounters pero pag nagkaroon ka katulad ng extreme
encounters katulad ng mga cyberbullying mga ganon,
ah maari yun maka apekto ito sa psychological isang
tao.” – Daryl
Response of Young Adults to the Impact of Violent
Content on Social Media
The responses showed that young adults were more
likely to ignore the contents that are not safe for them.
They appeared to be knowledgeable about safety
precautions of utilizing social media platforms; they
know how to use banning and blocking sites and
sensitive contents. On the other hand, other
participants said that it triggered their anxiety and that
they felt threatened and shocked after viewing
sensitive contents. Moreover, media violence is a
significant predictor of aggressive behaviors, and the
aftermath of exposure is perceivable months or years
later. In the absence of other adverse outcomes for
violence, elevated media violence exposure cannot
convert a normal and well-adjusted child or adolescent
into a spree killer (Anderson, 2016).
“Oo, sa tingin ko kasi pagdating sa ganun, nawa-
warning-an natin yung manunuod na ma-aware sila na
kapag click nila yung videos na ayun may tendency na
ano yun, parang violent video ganun, kaya mas
magandang may ganun kasi na-a-aware sila na, iki-
click ba nila yun. Mas maganda rin yun para yung mga
videos na ganun pwedeng ma-report tas matanggal. Sa
tingin ko may dapat gawin yung management kasi
nasa era tayo na, ano tayo, yung curiosity natin
masyadong mataas so para sa akin mas maganda na i-
ban tapos e-report lalo na ng company ng facebook,
lagyan ng restrictions na mabawasan yung mga links
para hindi mapanuod ng mga kabataan.” – Kenjie
“Yes, I received violent (reaction) words on a
Facebook comment that really triggered my anxiety.”
– Micua
Violence on Social Media and the Imitation of
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Behavior lumalaki sila parang gusto nila gawin.” – JonJon

“For me it can affect us emotionally. Because of the
The data indicated that participants were susceptible to graphic violence in the media has been increasing and
a change in behavior. Participants acknowledged reaching proportions that really affect one's life. It can
engaging in actions that resemble those observed on affect individuals to become less sensitive to the pain
social media, including bullying, performing practical and suffering of others, it can also occur to affect
jokes, teasing others, using harsh language, and even behavior, aggressive or harmful ways toward others.”
destructive actions that result in physical harm to – JV
others. Even though they might or might not hurt other “Ano, yung mga dark humour sa (kpop) stan
individuals, people nonetheless follow the trends on (community), ayun yung mga na apply ko.” – Shane
the internet. Others indicated that they use social
media as an excuse to procrastinate and neglect their Average Daily Time Spent on Social Media
duties. To avoid getting conned or trolling, other
participants, on the other hand, claimed to have grown According to the data, participants spend a minimum
aware and adopted careful conduct. Moreover, violent of six hours per day and a maximum of twelve hours
content in computer games, television shows, and per day on social media sites. During those hours of
movies has a comparable effect. Incitement to social media use, participants experienced many
aggressiveness, fear of v i c t i m i z a t i o n , scenarios that influenced their ideas and attitudes on a
depersonalization, and the impact of hunger are four variety of subjects depicted on the internet that
significant outcomes of media violence that influence provoked their emotions. According to a recent survey
people (Selvi, 2021). on the current state of social media usage in the
Philippines, the Philippines is in the top 20 nations
“Hindi naman marahas pero yung pagiging mainitin with 1,051 cybercrime victims or individual
yung ulo kasi lahat ng nasa social media mainit ulo.” – complaints (Baclig, 2022). During those hours of use,
Joy a lot may happen to the users in terms of exposure.
“To be honest it gives me a thinking or temptation to
do the same violence to be specific on what to do in a “Almost 12hrs akong gumagamit ng social media. And
street fight.” – JV ang ginagamit ko ay Facebook.” – Cian
“Basically, dalawang apps lang facebook at messenger
Contributing Factors of Violent Content in lang. Tas yung hours naman 3 hours yung
Influencing People to Act Violently p inakam atag al.” – Jonjon
“Since nasa pandemic tayo, online class tayo, usually
As social media creates a new reality rather than gumagamit ako ng social media 5-10 hours, messenger
reporting actual occurrences, it can have both positive and facebook.” – Kenjie
and negative effects on how people perceive
themselves. We'll go over several ways that social Effects of Fixed Restrictions and Prohibitions for
media may impact people's attitudes and behavior. The Privacy and Security on Social Media
media has influence over society and has the ability to
change the morality, way of life, and behavior of According to the data, participants felt secure using
people. These feelings have a big effect on how you social media platforms' privacy and security limits and
feel, and they also make stress, anxiety, and depression prohibitions, and the security settings protected their
symptoms worse. personal data from illegal access. By blocking and
banning content, they can customize their social media
According to research, exposure to media violence experience and steer clear of undesirable material
tends to influence young adults to manifest aggressive using their account settings. Thanks to cyber security,
behavior. Even though it is difficult to determine if they are unable to access websites that might contain
exposure to media violence directly induces youth vital information. While security does exist, some
violence, research findings show that playing violent respondents claim that it doesn't always stop users
video games helps increase hostile thinking and action from visiting inappropriate websites. Gaining access to
(Witmer, 2020). sensitive information might be facilitated by
understanding account settings and age limits. In 2019,
“Para sa akin ano, masama yung para sa (iba), lalo na Agoi discussed that social media users can freely
sa mga bata pagnakikita, kasi parang, diba kapag bata express themselves if they have control over their
pag yung makikita nila parang, curious sila, parang privacy by adjusting the privacy settings. They can
gusto nilang gawin, parang mas lalong, habang maintain decent social boundaries, protect their public

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Psych Educ, 2023, 7: 646-655, Document ID:2023 PEMJ586, doi:10.5281/zenodo.7750161, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article
image, and limit the influence of others. Users can
improve their privacy by deciding with whom they
want to share their personal information.
“Oo tama. Nakakatulong siya talaga. Siyempre dapat
di ka nagdidisclose ng information about sayo.
Siyempre yung ano kasi, parang yung social media
kasi napaka-transparent. Kumabaga dapat nili-limit mo
lang yung information mo sa kanila. Siyempre kapag
binigay mo lahat. Siyempre malalaman lahat ng tao
Kung nasan ka, nasa ganito. Pano pa may galit sayo,
alam niya yung location mo, pwedeng may masamang
mangyari sayong ano... parang ganon. Mga situation
na unnecessary. Meron... ano kasi siya eh, merong
mga information na ilalagay mo na only me. Siguro
doon... sa ano na yun, particular aspect. Yung nag o-
only me lang ako. Ganito, ganiyan.” – Robert
“Oo, nakakatulong naman yun, like yung sa pag-po-
post pwede mong ilimit sa friends mo lang hindi mo
siya ipa-public, saka meron na ngayon yung hindi mo
pwede e-screenshot yung profile ng user.” – Joy
“Ah for me as N user, it’s somehow give you privacy
kasi may mga features katulad ng facebook na pwede
mong ilock yung profile mo na magkakaroon ka ng
privacy para doon sa katulad mong N user rin. Pero for
me may one side din about privacy na hindi mo
maitatago sa social media katulad ng facebook na
pwede niyang ibenta yung data mo or privacy mo nang
hindi mo alam through other marketing platforms
katulad ng business platforms na which is
makakaapekto sa privacy mo.”– Daryl
Popular Social Media for Young Adults
Based on the data, Facebook was the most used social
media platform among participants. They also used
other social media platforms such as Messenger,
Youtube, Tiktok, Twitter, Instagram, and Telegram to
communicate with other people and watch entertaining
videos. In 2022, Ocampo further pointed out that in the
Philippines, Facebook is the most popular social media
platform. Youtube comes in second with 57%,
followed by Tiktok (17%), and Instagram (14%).
Furthermore, 8% of the respondents have a Twitter
account. Users across the world have begun to utilize it
to boost their businesses, post sexy photos, and selfies,
and showcase their photography skills.
“Facebook, 8 to 10 hours a day.” – RJ
“4-6 hours a day, tapos yung kind of social media
tiktok, facebook, messenger, twitter, Instagram.” –
Nangnang
“Matagal na din kasi akong gumagamit ng social
media tulad ng Facebook para updated at pagkatapos
ay YouTube para sa music.” –Abby
Barrios et al.
Psychological Effect of Exposure to Graphic
Violence
The media has the ability to shape people's beliefs,
attitudes, and behaviors. As your mood begins to shift,
you begin to treat people differently. You believe that
everyone is a douche, or, like so many others
nowadays, you experience dejection and anxiety. You
may also go in the opposite direction, amass a huge
fan base, build your ego to the hilt, and begin acting
inappropriately toward others. Furthermore, the
findings offered compelling proof that constant
exposure to war and terrorism in the media may have
detrimental long-term effects on one's mental and
physical health. The results of the study implied that
frequent exposure to graphic media depictions of
traumatic events may contribute to the spread of
collective trauma. A similar study of the effects of
watching graphic videos on social media, found out
that the general public is affected by viewing violent
images on social media. As a result of witnessing these
events, individuals suffered long-term consequences
such as negative stress reactions, anxiety, and, in some
cases, post-traumatic stress disorder or vicarious
trauma. Media events influenced approximately 20%
of the research participants (Ramsden, 2017).
“Yes, I received violent (reaction) words on a
Facebook comment that really triggered my anxiety.”
– Micua
“Ano, yung meron akong favorite mutual sa (kpop)
stan (community). I mean everyday kaming nag-i-
interact tas ayun gusto ko siyang maging kaibigan kaso
ayun masyado akong nahihiya. Isang araw nabalitaan
ko, nag-tweet yung ate nya gamit yung account niya
sabi ayun daw nag-suicide. Nanghinayang ako sobra,
affected ako sa pagkawala niya. Hanggang ngayon,
ayun.” – Shane
“Ah at first siguro wala naman yung mga minimal na
encounters pero pag nagkaroon ka katulad ng extreme
encounters katulad ng mga cyberbullying mga ganon,
ah maari yun maka apekto ito sa psychological isang
tao.” – Dary
Discussion
In conclusion, the study shows that the young adults
interviewed are affected by graphic violence. Despite
the use of social media applications, it has been
evident that there is still a lack of security when it
comes to hacking, content monitoring, and the
revealing of private information.
As a result, the respondents had unfavorable
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Research Article
experiences with social media and responded
adversely to it. Data show that people are willing to
change their behavior. Participants acknowledged
engaging in negative behaviors that cause serious harm
to others, such as bullying, practical jokes, ridiculing,
foul language, and even destructive actions. These
habits are similar to those observed on social media.
The media wields power in society and has the ability
to influence people's opinions, lifestyles, and habits.
These feelings have a significant influence on your
mood, and they can increase the symptoms of stress,
anxiety, and sadness. Finally, graphic violence on
social media has a negative physical and psychological
impact on young adults.
This highlights the recommendations based on the
findings and conclusions: For young adults; proper
navigation of the internet settings without
encountering sensitive content will lessen the harm
and maintain a safe online time. Students, discovering
more information about preserving holistic health in
relation to online safety will help to reduce the
negative impact and skeptical screening of information
posted. Parents, and children must be well informed of
the responsibilities underlying safety usage of the
internet to encourage healthy social media usage and
to prevent unnecessary adolescent trauma that has a
direct impact on readiness to not be swayed by false
information.
To Educators, an intervention that recognizes safety
measures can draw the students who use social media
platforms and educate the correct activities to take
while using social media. Families, encourage open
communication to keep everyone in check and be
transparent to avoid lack of communication to identify
if someone is in danger as a direct result of social
media usage. The Government, to launch a research
program to examine the level of privacy and security
awareness that young adults have on social media
platforms and how they might use that knowledge to
their advantage by avoiding inappropriate content and
benefiting from security updates.
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