Almost 39% of users in Cyprus have encountered hostile online content — Eurostat data

Nearly four in ten internet users in the Republic of Cyprus in 2025 encountered messages they perceived as hostile or derogatory toward individuals or social groups, according to new Eurostat data published on Friday.

According to statistics, 38.98% of internet users in Cyprus reported such an experience. This figure is virtually unchanged compared to 2023, when it stood at 38.45%, and remains slightly below the European Union average.

Across the EU as a whole, 42.3% of users encountered hostile or derogatory online messages in 2025. Eurostat notes that the average figure is based on data from 20 countries. However, compared to 2023 (36.57%), a noticeable increase is observed.

The highest rates were recorded in Hungary (60.9%), Finland (56.7%), and Slovakia (56.2%). The lowest were found in Latvia, Greece, Germany, and Lithuania.

According to the study, such messages were most frequently linked to political or social views (33.7%), as well as race or ethnicity (25.5%). These were followed by cases of discrimination based on sexual orientation (23.4%) and religious beliefs (22.8%).

Manifestations of hostility based on gender, age, disability, and other personal characteristics were also recorded.

Experts point out that the growth of such phenomena in EU countries highlights the need to strengthen digital literacy and measures to counter online discrimination and hate speech.