A Mixed Methods Approach to Social Control of Cybercultural Transgressions: An Iranian Perspective

Abstract

Cyber transgressions (non-normative behaviors, attitudes and conditions) are growing, hence we employed a three-study exploratory sequential mixed method designed to make a taxonomy of Instagram cybercultural transgressions, and cyber social control means; to examine the effects of low self-control, depression, negative interpersonal relationships, computer/ Internet self-efficacy, netiquette, and normative beliefs, and also sociodemographic factors, and media use habits on cybercultural transgressions; and to explore the effectiveness of jurisdiction, non-anonymity, filtering, and forced user migration to domestic social media platforms as cyber social control means. The quantitative findings from 989 participants showed that nondepressed, older, married, middle-income, university educated, non-student users (especially women) with high self-control, more positive interpersonal relationships, moderate levels of computer/ Internet self-efficacy, normative beliefs, and with more years of Internet use experience, and less daily Internet use, who are knowledgeable about netiquette, are parents, have a job (also retired individuals and housewives), do not use VPNs, psychotropic medications, and alcoholic beverages and/ or recreational drugs, do not have previous experience of online victimization, do not associate with online transgressors, and do not feel being in minority, are less likely than others to commit online transgressive behaviors, or consume transgressive content. The importance of jurisdiction and non-anonymity as social control means, and the failure of filtering and forced user migration to Iranian social media platforms are discussed. These findings can be useful in devising new non-coercive policies and initiatives to socially control cybercultural transgressions.

Keywords

• cybercultural transgressions
• cyber social control
• mixed methods
• instagram