Almost 80% of Russians faced Internet bullying in 2019, study reveals

MOSCOW, February 11. /TASS/: Microsoft, a world-renowned US-based tech giant, published its annual country rating on the so-called Digital Civility Index (DCI). According to the paper, 79% of Russian nationals faced Internet harassment in 2019.

"Microsoft presents the fourth annual study on communication culture and personal safety online in 2019. Based on the study, the company compiled the Digital Civility Index rating. Russia took 22nd place among 25 participants: 79% of Russian users faced Internet risks in 2019, which is higher than the average world level of 70%," the company said.

According to the study, for the second year in a row, Russians face behavioral risks on the Web more often that others: 61% versus the global average of 45%. Of those, 44% encountered rude comments, 43% faced online sexual abuse, and 29% endured trolling. Other popular risks include intrusive behavior: 53% of respondents suffered from hoaxes, scams and fraud, while 44% experienced unwanted contact.

Besides, in Russia, 65% of Internet harassment victims faced their intimidators in real life, which is higher than the global average of 48%.