#JusticeForZara – How Tiktok help mobilise social media activism against bullying in Malaysian Schools through Technology, Creative and Vernacular Affordance – Izdriana Iffa Iskandar - Social Media, Communities, & Networks Conference 2026: Semester 1 & SP1

#JusticeForZara – How Tiktok help mobilise social media activism against bullying in Malaysian Schools through Technology, Creative and Vernacular Affordance – Izdriana Iffa Iskandar

Posted on

24/04/2026

[Captions are available on YouTube]

Presentation Link (For Viewing Only): https://canva.link/up19puern91mkov

Reference

Abdul Wahab, M. E. B. (2025). Press Release | Bullying — A Call for Urgent, Decisive Action – The Malaysian Bar. Malaysianbar.org.my. https://www.malaysianbar.org.my/article/about-us/president-s-corner/pressstatements/press-release-bullying-a-call-for-urgent-decisive-action

Bucher, T., & Helmond, A. (2018). The affordances of social media platforms. In J. Burgess, A. Marwick, & T. Poell (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of social media (pp. 233–253). SAGE. https://catalogue.curtin.edu.au/permalink/61CUR_INST/bgfcjq/alma9938635820801951

Boyd, D. (2014). Introduction. In It’s complicated: The social lives of networked teens (pp. 1–28). Yale University Press. https://www.danah.org/books/ItsComplicated.pdf

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Gerbaudo, P. (2024). TikTok and the algorithmic transformation of social media publics: From social networks to social interest clusters. New Media & Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448241304106

Jenkins, H. (2010). Why Participatory Culture Is Not Web 2.0: Some Basic Distinctions — Pop Junctions. Henry Jenkins. https://henryjenkins.org/2010/05/why_participatory_culture_is_n.html

Malay Mail. (2025). Malaysia passes historic Anti-Bullying Bill 2025 to protect children, set up tribunal. Malay Mail ; Malay Mail. https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/12/03/malaysia-passes-historic-anti-bullying-bill-2025-to-protect-children-set-up-tribunal/200638

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One response to “#JusticeForZara – How Tiktok help mobilise social media activism against bullying in Malaysian Schools through Technology, Creative and Vernacular Affordance – Izdriana Iffa Iskandar”

Lim Ee Hann

29/04/2026

Q1
Your analysis on how TikTok helped mobilise social media activism against bullying in Malaysian schools is interesting. I like how you explained that hashtags, sounds, sharing, and user-generated content allowed young people to connect with wider audiences and participate in the #JusticeForZara movement.

This reminds me of the idea of networked publics, where people gather online around shared concerns. In this case, TikTok did not only spread information, but also created a space where Malaysian youth could express sadness, anger, and solidarity.

But I wonder whether this kind of online connection can last for a long time, or whether it is only active when the issue is trending.

Do you think the #JusticeForZara movement created a strong and lasting online community, or was it more of a temporary network formed around one viral issue?

Q2
Your discussion of participatory culture and imitation publics is interesting, especially when you showed how users adapted TikTok sounds, humour, comments, and trends to show support for Zara and speak against bullying.

I think this shows how young people do not only consume social media content, but also actively recreate and spread messages in their own style. This can make a serious issue like bullying more relatable and easier for other students to understand.

But at the same time, I wonder if using humour, trends, or imitation can sometimes make a serious issue seem less serious.

How do you think TikTok users can use creative and humorous content to raise awareness about bullying without reducing the seriousness of the issue?

Q3
Your point about youth empowerment is interesting because you showed how TikTok can become a platform for young people to express themselves, find support, and demand social change. This connects to the broader discussion about social media communities and how online spaces can give young people a voice.

However, your presentation also mentioned debates about banning social media or electronic devices for young people. I think this is complicated because social media can support activism, but it can also expose young users to misinformation, emotional pressure, cyberbullying, or harmful comments.

What do you think is a better solution: limiting young people’s social media use, or teaching them how to use platforms like TikTok more safely and critically?

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Social Media, Communities, & Networks Conference 2026: Semester 1 & SP1