In today's digital age, online spaces offer incredible opportunities for communication, networking, and personal expression. However, they also harbor the potential for harassment and abuse, which can be particularly detrimental to women. Online harassment, including cyberbullying, stalking, and threats, can have profound emotional, psychological, and even physical consequences. To combat this pervasive issue and create safer digital environments, AI-driven cybersecurity solutions are increasingly playing a vital role in shielding women from online threats. This chapter explores the crucial role of artificial intelligence (AI) in addressing the pervasive issue of online harassment. The chapter makes a comprehensive survey and analysis of AI algorithms, natural language processing, and machine learning models to focus role of these technologies in reshaping the landscape of digital safety.
Top1. Introduction
In the digital age, social media has transformed the way individuals connect, share, and interact. Serving as a versatile platform, it enables individuals to effortlessly post a myriad of content, including photos, videos, and documents, facilitating widespread communication and engagement with society. The accessibility through computers and smartphones has made social media an integral part of daily life. Popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become household names, providing a variety of ways for people to express themselves and connect with others on a worldwide scale. Thus social media has become a dynamic space for learning and collaboration as it facilitates the exchange of ideas, resources, and knowledge, transcending geographical boundaries. It has also become a catalyst for noble causes and social movements. Activists and organizations leverage these platforms to raise awareness, mobilize support, and drive positive change on a global scale.
The widespread use of social media, while offering numerous benefits, also brings forth its share of drawbacks. Malevolent users exploit these platforms for unethical and fraudulent activities, causing harm to individuals' feelings and tarnishing their reputations. Among the growing concerns cyberbullying has emerged as a significant issue in the realm of social media.
Many researchers have given definitions of cyberbulling. Cyberbullying, also known as cyber-harassment or online bullying or online harassment, it refers to the use of electronic means to engage in bullying or harassment. Cyberbullying is defined as the harassment or insulting of an individual as a result of global sharing and sending messages of a hurtful, angry, aggressive, or threatening nature using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure as a platform. Cyberbullying is a serious difficulty and an incalculable threat to the victims' physical and mental wellbeing (Nureni 2021). It's also characterized as a deliberate, aggressive action committed by an individual or a group against a victim who faces difficulty defending themselves. This behavior persists over time, even after the victim has requested the aggressor to stop (Sneha 2022). As the digital landscape expands and technology advances, this phenomenon is becoming increasingly common, especially among adolescents and women. Violence targeting women, both offline and in digital spaces, can manifest in various ways, such as cyber harassment, revenge porn, rape threats, and, in extreme cases, sexual assault or homicide. Those responsible for these acts may include current or former partners, coworkers, classmates, and frequently, anonymous individuals.
Cyberbullying is thus a critical social problem plaguing today’s Internet users typically youth, children and women. Victims of cyberbullying often experience elevated levels of depression, anxiety, suicidal tendencies and attempts, as well as adverse impacts on academic and work performance, along with deteriorating physical and mental health. The repercussions of cyberbullying tend to be more severe compared to traditional bullying due to the broader online audience and the rapid dissemination of messages (Muhammad 2021). This all leads to severe consequences like low self-esteem, hopelessness and in some cases causes lack of motivation to be alive. In response, victims may resort to substances like drugs and alcohol as a means to cope with both mental and physical pain, ultimately resulting in death of a victim (Dewani 2021). Some significant health issues among social media users are attributed to cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can manifest through different means, such as posting offensive videos, sharing violent images, or disseminating pictures without the owner's consent. Adults, in particular, have been significantly impacted by bullying through text, images, or videos on social media platforms, revealing its detrimental effects (Sneha 2022). Experiencing targeted behavior can discourage individuals from opening up about their issues and addressing their problems.