Russians are 20% more likely to face insults on the Internet

Russia ranked 19th in the digital culture index - the third annual Microsoft DCI survey showed. The level of online risks remained almost unchanged compared with the previous year and amounted to 74%, while the Russians face them more often than users of most other countries.

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Microsoft presented the results of the annual study [1], devoted to the culture of communication and personal safety in the network for 2018 and dedicated to the Safe Internet Day. Based on it, a rating of countries on the Digital Culture Index (Digital Civility Index, DCI) was compiled. Russia ranked 19th among the 22 participating countries: the number of respondents who faced online risks in 2018 was 74% , which exceeds the global figure of 66 %.

“These studies confirm the fact that a certain part of Russian users still regard online space as something that does not affect everyday life. Then it is very important to understand that online behavior can lead to consequences in the same way as in real life, ”said Urvan Parfentiev, coordinator of the Safe Internet Center, lead analyst of ROCIT. “Increasing user awareness of the importance of respectful communication on the Internet and the possible consequences of online risks by enhancing awareness-raising initiatives in this area can help increase the level of digital culture in Russia.”

According to the survey, Russians more often than representatives of other countries suffered from bullying [2] on the net - in particular, 71% of users experienced insults on the Internet (the world total is 51% ). 40% of respondents admitted that they were trying to deliberately compromise them, and 18% of respondents were victims of publishing false or misleading information.

In addition, Russians often faced risks of a sexual nature. 65% admitted that they received unwanted content of this kind, almost half ( 45% ) faced inappropriate romantic offers, and 31% of Russians received requests to send intimate photos.

At the same time, in Russia the risk of being affected by strangers is almost twice as high as in the world ( 60% vs. 36% ). More than the rest, Russians also risk becoming victims of people with whom they are only familiar with online ( 33% against the world figure of 26% ). In turn, in Russia the risk of being affected by friends turned out to be significantly lower than in other countries ( 8% vs. 28% ).

Among the age groups, millennials (18–34 years old) were most often exposed to internet risks - 81% , and also representatives of generation X (35–49 years old) - 78% . At the same time, adolescents suffer most of all from online threats, namely girls ( 54% ). Compared to the situation in the world, adolescents in Russia are less inclined to seek help from their parents when confronted with risks in the network ( 29% vs. 42% ).

In Russia, despite the high frequency of Internet risks, users who encounter them are less susceptible to serious emotional experiences ( 46% vs. 55% in the world). At the same time, the results of the study also illustrate the low percentage of positive reactions to the actions of other users on the network. For example, only 27% of respondents take a pause to think about the answer to the interlocutor with whom they disagree.

“Every year the boundaries between the physical and digital world are becoming increasingly blurred, which is why it is so important to observe uniform rules of communication both online and offline,” commented Elsa Ganeyeva, manager for working with state organizations of Microsoft in Russia. - This year, the DCI study revealed new problems in the field of communication culture in the network: in particular, the number of respondents who were ready to treat other users with respect and dignity was only 8% . We urge people to treat someone’s point of view with understanding and respect different opinions. ”

Recommendations and tips for protecting against Internet risks are available on this page .

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[1] 11,157 people from 23 countries took part in the study. The survey involved adults (18-74 years) and adolescents (13-17 years), the focus group for each country - 500 people. The list of countries surveyed included: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey, Vietnam, United Kingdom, United States .

[2] Bullying (from the English. Bullying) - aggressive harassment, harassment, bullying or humiliation.