Stalking and Other Forms of Dating Violence: Lessons Learned from You in Relation to Cyber Safety

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Media Studies
• Cybersecurity

Background:

• Social media use is prevalent, often leading to the sharing of private information without awareness of online dangers.
• The Netflix series "You" depicts stalking behaviors through social media as part of dating violence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the portrayal of social media in "You" for erotic stalking, dating violence, and cyber safety awareness.
• To identify themes related to online behaviors and their impact on relationships.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative content analysis of all 10 episodes of the first season of "You".
• Independent analysis and in-depth discussion of messages and meanings to identify overarching themes.

Main Results:

• Obsessive online and in-person erotic stalking.
• Controlling behaviors within dating relationships.
• Apparent indifference to cyber safety and exploitation of overshared personal information.

Conclusions:

• The series "You" highlights critical issues like stalking, coercive control, violence, and questionable masculine attitudes linked to a lack of cyber safety knowledge.
• Raising awareness about online safety and security in dating relationships is crucial.
• "You" can serve as an educational tool to discuss these important topics.