More than 60% of Russians surveyed have experienced insults on the Internet

Two thirds of the surveyed Russians (63%) have encountered insults and rudeness on the Internet. This is stated in the results of the research conducted by the analytical center of the National Agency for Financial Research (NAFI), which were reported by Izvestia on January 21. In 2023, there were 61% of such respondents.

The experts found out that men (67% vs. 60% of women), as well as young Russians under 24 years old (76%), who are more actively involved in discussions or disputes on the Internet, are the most frequent targets of insults.

At the same time, 55% of respondents believe that the number of polite people around is decreasing, which inevitably leads to a decrease in the culture of communication.

At the same time, there is a slight positive trend: the share of those who believe that there are more polite people has increased from 16% in 2023 to 18% in 2024. The same group of Russians who are more likely to encounter aggression on the Internet - young people under 24 years of age - is speaking out.

The share of those who refrain from publicly expressing their opinions on the Web for fear of receiving a negative reaction in return is gradually decreasing - from 60% in 2022 to 53% in 2024. Women (56% vs. 50% of men) and people with higher education (56%) refrain from commenting most often. The reluctance to engage in potentially confrontational discussions is dictated by a conscious avoidance of negative experiences, a more cautious perception of the online environment, the analysts explained.

"The topic of aggressive behavior and bullying on the Internet is inextricably linked to the mental health of society. Its state first predetermines the frequency of manifestation of such behavior, and then is reflected in the very behavior of people - attempts to copy such behavior, resist it or close themselves off from it," said Timur Aimaletdinov, deputy director general of the NAFI Analytical Center.

He noted that modern sociological research is actively studying the reasons for the spread of cyberbullying, especially among young people, looking for ways to counteract this phenomenon.

"Researchers emphasize the importance of positive examples of mutually respectful communication by opinion leaders and media figures. In addition, considerable attention is being paid to integrating digital ethics topics into educational and outreach programs of school, professional and corporate training," Aimaletdinov concluded.

Earlier, on October 8, 2024, it was reported that the activity of job seekers in social networks affects the decision to hire. So, 79% of employers said that the presence of content that contradicts the company's values can be a reason for refusal. This is stated in the results of a study by the Russian School of Management.