Journal of English Language and Education
Vol 10, No 6 (2025)

Multimodal Cyberbullying in TikTok Comments: A Descriptive Qualitative Analysis

Sari, Angel Aulia (Unknown)
Alya, Hikmah (Unknown)
Sihotang, Rica Octaviani (Unknown)
Rafi'a, Uswatun (Unknown)
Putri, Dian Marisha (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
10 Dec 2025

Abstract

Cyberbullying in social media has become an increasingly visible issue, particularly on platforms where communication relies on rapid, multimodal expression. However, existing studies tend to focus mainly on verbal hostility, leaving limited attention to how meaning is constructed through the combination of text, emojis, and images. This study aims to describe how these semiotic resources collectively convey bullying intent in TikTok comment sections. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the data were analyzed through multimodal meaning interpretation and categorized according to types of online aggression. The findings show that sarcasm, mockery, and ridicule were often expressed not through words alone but strengthened through patterned emoji use, exaggerated punctuation, and visual layering. The study concludes that multimodal symbols play a significant role in shaping online bullying practices and should be considered in digital literacy and prevention strategies.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jele

Publisher

Subject

Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Other

Description

Journal of English Language and Education (pISSN: 2597-6850 and eISSN: 2502-4132) is a journal that focuses on researching or documenting issues in education, language education, applied linguistics, English education, English language teaching, English Literature, language assessment and ...