S. Korean students avoiding school-related group chats over cyberbullying concerns

SEOUL – Some students and parents in South Korea are opting to avoid school-related group chats altogether as concerns grow over cyberbullying and its consequences.

They are increasingly being warned that simply staying silent in group chats could expose them to school violence accusations.

Advice circulating on social media has urged students to avoid participating in group chats altogether, arguing that even minimal engagement – or none at all – could lead to unintended involvement in abusive situations.

An Instagram post titled “How to avoid being accused of school violence on group chats” advised users not to respond with even brief reactions such as “lol” or “Oh,” drawing more than 2,500 likes.

On Threads, a user wrote that she tells students never to join group chats, saying involvement alone can quickly lead to school violence cases. A parent echoed the concern, saying she advises her middle school-aged daughter that “it is better to be alone”.

Such anxieties reflect the growing role of digital communication in student interactions. Cyberbullying often unfolds in real-time online environments, including group chats on messaging platforms, where multiple participants can engage in or witness abusive behaviour simultaneously.

Some elementary school teachers in Gyeonggi Province have reportedly banned group chat use over concerns about school violence, a move that previously drew criticism for infringing on student rights but is now gaining renewed support.

Data suggests the issue remains persistent. A government survey of 3.97 million elementary, middle and high school students found that 7.8 per cent of school violence cases involved cyberbullying, up from 7.4 per cent in 2024 and 6.9 per cent in 2023.

Another survey by the National Information Society Agency and the Korea Media and Communications Commission found that 43.3 per cent of students had experienced cyberbullying either as perpetrators or victims.

The consequences can be significant. South Korea has tightened measures to reflect school violence records in college admissions.

Of 3,273 applicants with such records, 2,460 – about 75 per cent – were not admitted, according to a January report by politician Jin Sun-mee. Among Seoul-based universities, only one of 151 applicants with school violence records was admitted.

Legal risks may extend beyond those directly involved in abusive acts.

Under the Act on the Prevention and Countermeasure Against Violence in Schools, individuals who become aware of school violence are required to report it.

While failure to report alone does not carry a clearly defined penalty, condoning such behaviour can be considered part of school violence.

This has raised concerns about how participation in group chats may be interpreted. Being in the same chat room as perpetrators, or failing to respond to abusive behaviour, could potentially be viewed as contributing to the situation, depending on how the authorities assess the case.

Legal experts say the issue remains a grey area. According to lawyer Gweon Min-su, students in chat rooms could be held responsible in certain cases, particularly if they are seen as participating in or supporting abusive intent.

Another lawyer, Mr Park Seong-hyeon, noted that while simply being present in a chat room is unlikely to lead to punishment, the authorities could interpret silence as condoning the behaviour.

Interpretation often depends on how the interaction affected the victim. Attorneys at law firm Tehran wrote that silence, lack of response or even seemingly minor reactions such as emojis could contribute to a sense of isolation, and may be considered a passive form of condoning abuse.

“If you were a bystander, you should explain why your inaction was inevitable, such as why you couldn’t step in, and how you tried to distance yourself,” the firm said, adding that such explanations should be supported by consistent testimony and objective evidence. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK