Every sixth young person is exposed to abuse on the internet.
Social PolicyEuropean Union
- Omissions
- The WHO study specifically measured 'cyberbullying' rather than the broader term 'online abuse' used in the claim. Cyberbullying is a specific form of online abuse.
- The figure refers to adolescents experiencing cyberbullying 'at least once or twice in the past couple of months' rather than general exposure to online abuse.
- Data was collected in 2021-2022 and published in 2024, not 2025 or 2026.
- Sources
- SecondaryEuronewsAround one in six adolescents has reported being cyberbullied, according to a WHO study. The survey was conducted among 279,000 schoolchildren aged 11, 13 and 15 in 44 countries in Europe and Central Asia.
- SecondaryDW (Deutsche Welle)Overall, 15% of adolescents reported being cyberbullied at least once or twice in the past couple of months (15% of boys and 16% of girls), according to WHO Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study.
- SecondaryBBCNearly one in six adolescents have experienced cyberbullying, an international study has found. More school-aged children have reported being harassed online than five years ago.
- SecondaryBetter Internet for Kids (European Commission)This trend has been confirmed by a study from the World Health Organisation (WHO), where 1 in 6 adolescents have experienced cyberbullying.