Digital Silence in Cyberbullying Among College Students : Discrimination, Non-Response, and Structural Barriers

Background
Cyberbullying is widespread, affecting 41% of U.S. adults, with 25% experiencing severe cases such as stalking and threats. Among individuals under 30, 64% report victimization, with Black and Hispanic individuals more likely than White individuals to experience race-based harassment. Despite this, many victims remain silent due to fear, stigma, and structural barriers, known as digital silence, including non-reporting, psychological withdrawal, and disengagement from online spaces. The Spiral of Silence Theory explains the tendency of individuals to be less likely to express their experiences when they perceive them as unpopular or outside the social norm. This study analyzes how perceived discrimination impacts non-reporting, the mediating role of anti-racism attitudes, and the moderating effect of racial identity. The research questions are as follows:

1. Does discrimination relate to non-reporting of cyberbullying victimization?

2. Do anti-racism attitudes mediate the relationship between discrimination and non-reporting?

3. Does racial identity moderate the indirect effect of discrimination on non-reporting via anti-racism attitudes?

Methodology
This study used moderated mediation analysis with PROCESS Macro, analyzing data from the 2023–2024 Healthy Minds Study (N=88,221). Logistic regression with 5,000 bootstrapped samples estimated confidence intervals. Discrimination was the independent variable, anti-racism attitudes the mediator, and non-reporting of cyberbullying victimization the dependent variable, with racial identity as a moderator and gender, education, age, mental health indicators, and LGBTQ identity controlled.

Results
The results showed that discrimination significantly increased anti-racism attitudes (logit = 1.02, p < .001), which in turn reduced non-response (logit = -0.05, p < .001). Discrimination had a direct negative effect on non-response (logit = -0.22, p < .001), suggesting that individuals recognizing racial or ethnic discrimination were more likely to report cyberbullying victimization, counteracting the tendency to remain silent. The Spiral of Silence Theory suggests that individuals who experience discrimination may initially hesitate to speak out due to fear of social isolation. However, our study found that once individuals recognize the discrimination as unjust, they tend to view it as a social issue and break their silence to resist. Racial identity moderated the effect of discrimination on anti-racism attitudes, with Black (logit = 0.91, p < .001), Hispanic (logit = 0.83, p < .001), Asian (logit = 0.85, p < .001), and AIAN/NHPI (logit = 0.63, p < .001) individuals showing varying effects. Mediation was strongest for White individuals (Effect = -0.06, p < .001) and weakest for AIAN/NHPI individuals (Effect = -0.03, p < .001). Moderated mediation effects were most pronounced in Hispanic (Index = 0.01, p = .002) and AIAN/NHPI (Index = 0.02, p < .001) groups.

Conclusion
These findings highlight racial disparities in digital silence, especially among Hispanic and AIAN/NHPI groups, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to amplify marginalized voices. To encourage cyberbullying reporting, social work research and policy should be integrated, recognizing that viewing discrimination as a personal or community issue affects reporting behaviors. Creating inclusive online environments within universities and digital platforms is essential to ensure victims feel safe reporting their experiences, aligning with the theme of "Leading for Transformative Change.