Researchers urge viewers to heed relationship and cyber safety messages from Netflix hit

Onscreen stories of cyber stalking and dating violence have the potential to educate audiences about the risks of abusive relationships.

CQUniversity researchers warn about online security indifference among young people. And they fear the widespread use of social media is normalising stalking behaviours in relationships.

A new study focused on the popular Netflix series You by social media safety expert Dr Ritesh Chugh and domestic and family violence researcher Dr Marika Guggisberg analysed the themes of the series and its messages.

The psychological thriller was a hit for the streaming service last year' attracting 40 million views globally in the first month' with a third season slated for 2021.

"You raises important concerns including inappropriate dating behaviours such as stalking' coercive control' and questionable masculine attitudes'" Dr Guggisberg explained.

"It presents an excellent educational opportunity to inform society to consider cyber dating violence' online safety' and security."

But the researchers also found attitudes excusing the perpetrator's behaviour on social media' with young women and men seeing positives to the abusive male protagonist's actions towards his victim.

"They romanticized his abusive behaviours' which is most concerning and illustrates the influence of television shows such as You'" Dr Guggisberg said.

"The show demonstrates that the media plays an important role in shaping attitudes and behaviours of the public in relation to interpersonal interaction and what is perceived as appropriate dating behaviour in an online and offline world."

The study' published in the reputed Journal of Interpersonal Violence' also analysed ways that social media and technology were used to perpetrate violence in the series.

"Recent research has shown that dating violence almost always includes some form of cyber abuse'" Dr Chugh explained.

"Yet You illustrates a lack of cyber safety awareness and understanding particularly among the female protagonists' who are constantly oversharing personal information on social media without adequate privacy and security controls.

"Strategies to prevent this abuse include avoiding publishing date of birth' birthplace' school or workplace' and home address' which may be used by identity thieves' and' obviously by stalkers."

Dr Chugh said the growing popularity of online dating and apps such as Tinder has normalised surreptitious and problematic stalking behaviours.

"Displaying a cavalier attitude towards cyber safety can be problematic and preventive strategies should be adopted." Furthermore' "media plays an important role in shaping attitudes and behaviours of the public in relation to interpersonal interaction and what is perceived as appropriate dating behaviour in an online and offline world."

The apparent lack of knowledge and understanding in relation to cyber safety in You should prompt people to consider their own online safety and security in the context of a dating relationship.