Poster #60 - Digital Literacy and Cyber Delinquency Among Korean Youth: Does Digital Stratification Reproduce Online Deviance? - CANCELLED

• In Event: ASC Poster Session II

Abstract

As youth digital engagement becomes increasingly ubiquitous, disparities in how adolescents access and use digital technologies may serve as a new axis of inequality. This study investigates the relationship between digital literacy and cyber delinquency among Korean adolescents, using six-wave panel data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS 2018–2023). Moving beyond traditional risk indicators such as online exposure time or smartphone possession, this research examines whether qualitative differences in digital skills—such as information retrieval, online learning, and content creation—predict involvement in online deviance, including cyberbullying, profanity, and copyright violations.
This paper conceptualize digital stratification as an overlooked social condition that may structure online behavioral risks. Drawing from differential association theory and social control theory, we test whether youth with lower digital literacy are more likely to encounter deviant peers online and lack the normative tools to critically evaluate risky digital behavior. Additionally, we explore the moderating roles of parental supervision and digital education experiences.
This study highlights the importance of addressing digital inequality not only as an educational issue, but also as a criminological and policy concern. It calls for integrated interventions that promote digital literacy as a form of online resilience and a tool for behavioral prevention.

Author

• Sooyun Lee, University of Florida