Nearly four in ten internet users in Cyprus encountered hostile or degrading online content in 2025, according to Eurostat figures published on Thursday, highlighting the scale of harmful material circulating online.
The share for Cyprus stood at 38.98% of internet users, compared with an EU-wide pattern showing that younger users are more likely to come across such content. The figures refer to messages considered hostile or degrading towards specific groups of people or individuals.
In Cyprus, the highest exposure was recorded among users aged 25 to 34, with 49.47% saying they had seen such messages in the previous three months. Among those aged 16 to 24, the figure was 35.87%, while for users aged 45 to 54 it stood at 38.76%.
The most commonly reported hostile content in Cyprus related to political or social views, cited by 31.52% of users. Messages linked to sexual orientation were reported by 29.10%, while 26.2% said they had encountered hostile or degrading content connected to racial or ethnic origin.
Across the EU, Eurostat said exposure was highest among younger age groups. Some 54.0% of internet users aged 25 to 34 and 53.7% of those aged 16 to 24 reported seeing hostile or degrading messages online.
The proportion then declined steadily with age. It stood at 46.4% among users aged 35 to 44, 38.9% among those aged 45 to 54, 32.8% for the 55 to 64 age group and 28.1% among users aged 65 to 74.
A gender gap among younger users
Although the 25 to 34 age group recorded the highest overall share, Eurostat focused in particular on users aged 16 to 24, describing them as especially vulnerable to online exposure.
Among young internet users in the EU, 57.2% of women said they had encountered hostile or degrading online messages, compared with 50.4% of men.
The same pattern was recorded across all categories of hostile content. Political or social views were the most common trigger, reported by 42.5% of young women and 39.3% of young men. Content related to racial or ethnic origin followed, at 38.2% for young women and 35.6% for young men.
The widest gaps between young women and young men were recorded in content linked to sexual orientation, sex and disability. Hostile messages related to sexual orientation were reported by 37.8% of young women, compared with 32.6% of young men. For content related to sex, the figures were 30.9% and 24.9% respectively, while hostile messages concerning disability were reported by 23.0% of young women and 19.3% of young men.
Eurostat said the data are based on the EU survey on the use of information and communication technologies in households and by individuals.
Source: CNA
