Revisiting Routine Activity Theory in the Digital Age: COVID-19, Daily Routines, and Cyberbullying

• In Event: New Directions in Victimology Theory

Abstract

Extensive prior research has examined the impact of COVID-19, particularly its role in reshaping daily life routines—such as the widespread adoption of remote work and online learning—which have largely replaced traditional in-person interactions. However, little is known about the impact of these changes in routine on cybercrime. This study aims to address this gap by investigating whether shifts in daily routines due to COVID-19 have contributed to an increase in cyberbullying. Using data from a nationally representative sample of South Korean youth and employing residual change scores, our analysis reveals that changes in routine activities following the COVID-19 outbreak are significantly associated with increased involvement in cyberbullying—but only when routine activities are measured in terms of recreational computer use. In contrast, changes in conventional measures of routine activities—which typically focus on offline behaviors—show no significant association with cybercrime, although they still remain significant predictors of offline delinquency. These findings highlight the need for criminological theories and measurement tools to evolve in response to the growing prevalence of online spaces in everyday life.

Authors

• Sooyun Lee, University of Florida

• Bomi Jin, University of Florida

• Myunghee You, University of Florida