Cyberbullying among adolescents has increased across every European country included in a new report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), raising concerns among researchers, educators and child-protection advocates. The findings, part of the OECD’s How’s Life for Children in the Digital Age? report, show that online harassment is now affecting young people in all 29 countries and regions surveyed, with wide disparities between nations.

The data, which covers children aged 11, 13 and 15, reveals rates ranging from 7.5 per cent in Spain to 27.1 per cent in Lithuania. The European average stands at 15.5 per cent. Alongside Lithuania, the countries with the highest levels include Latvia, Poland, England, Hungary, Estonia, Ireland, Scotland, Slovenia, Sweden, Wales, Finland and Denmark. Nations such as Portugal, Greece, France, Germany and Italy recorded lower-than-average levels.

Cyberbullying in the study refers to repeated or intentional harassment online, including hostile messages, posts designed to ridicule, or the sharing of unflattering or inappropriate images without consent. The OECD noted that online abuse often involves a power imbalance and is amplified by the reach of digital platforms.

Experts attribute national differences to a combination of technological access, cultural norms and institutional preparedness. James O’Higgins Norman, UNESCO Chair on Bullying and Cyberbullying at Dublin City University, said variations in smartphone use, internet penetration and dominant social media platforms influence how often young people are exposed to harmful interactions. He added that cultural attitudes toward conflict and aggression, as well as the quality of school-based prevention programmes, shape each country’s experience.

Specialists from the European Antibullying Network pointed to digital literacy as a key factor. Countries that teach online safety as part of the school curriculum tend to see better outcomes. They also highlighted broader social and economic inequalities, noting that communities with fewer resources often struggle to support vulnerable children effectively.

The report shows that cyberbullying increased everywhere between the 2017–18 and 2021–22 survey periods. Denmark, Lithuania, Norway, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands recorded jumps of more than five percentage points. The OECD average rose from 12.1 to 15.5 per cent. Researchers say the rise coincided with increased access to smartphones and longer daily screen time among adolescents.

Experts agree that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the trend. With schools closed and socialising taking place online, young people spent more time on platforms where conflicts could quickly escalate. Digital environments that offer anonymity and instant communication can weaken empathy and accountability, making hostile behaviour more likely, O’Higgins Norman said. He added that some countries are now reporting signs of stabilisation as in-person schooling has resumed.

Girls are more likely than boys to report being cyberbullied in most countries. Across the OECD sample, the rate is 16.4 per cent for girls and 14.3 per cent for boys. Researchers link this gap to the nature of online interactions, as girls tend to engage more in social-media communication, where relational forms of aggression — such as exclusion or image-based harassment — are more common.

Family structure also plays a significant role. Adolescents living in one-parent households report a cyberbullying rate of 19.8 per cent, compared with 14.1 per cent among those living with two parents. Experts say single parents often face heavier time and financial pressures, reducing their capacity to supervise online activity. Young people in such households may also spend more time online for social connection, increasing exposure to risk.

The OECD’s findings add to growing calls for more comprehensive national strategies, stronger digital-literacy education and support structures that reflect the realities of adolescent online life.

Turkic-speaking countries are intensifying efforts to develop a coordinated response to online disinformation, as global technology platforms continue to evade national regulations designed to curb false content. Officials from across the region gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, to discuss shared challenges and the limits of domestic legislation in an era where information circulates far beyond national borders.

Speaking to Euronews, Zarina Kalmuratova, chief specialist in the Information Policy Department of Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Culture, Information and Youth Policy, described the scale of the problem. “There are so many platforms—YouTube, Instagram—where citizens also spread false information and the government can’t do anything about it,” she said. Her comments reflect the growing frustration of governments that find themselves unable to enforce national laws on global tech companies operating without an on-the-ground presence.

Kyrgyzstan adopted a law aimed at combating false news in 2022, a move that immediately prompted concerns that it could be used to stifle dissent. Kalmuratova pushed back against such criticism during the Baku conference, saying fears of government overreach had not been borne out. Under the law, individuals who believe they have been targeted by false content may request intervention from authorities. The government can then ask the outlet to remove the material within 24 hours; refusal may lead to temporary blocking of the website for up to two months. Kalmuratova insisted the measures are intended as balanced tools rather than broad censorship powers.

Yet challenges persist when misinformation appears on global platforms such as Facebook, YouTube or Instagram, which often do not comply with requests from smaller states. Kalmuratova argued that encouraging major tech companies to open official offices in Turkic-speaking nations could create clearer mechanisms for accountability. She described such a step as vital to strengthening the region’s ability to enforce local rules.

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS)—whose full members include Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan—has increasingly framed the issue as a regional problem requiring a shared response. At the Baku meetings, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Information, Kanat Iskakov, offered a parallel approach focused on building trust in domestic journalism. He told delegates that coordinated standards for digital media could help develop reliable alternatives to unverified online content.

Iskakov argued that strengthening journalistic quality and producing credible, collaborative content across the region would reduce reliance on questionable sources, highlighting the need to pair regulation with efforts to improve public confidence in official information.

The discussions in Baku, which included the 12th Working Group Meeting on Media and Information and the 7th ministerial conference, are part of the OTS’s broader attempt to harmonize media policy across a culturally linked but politically varied region. The debates underscore a central tension: how to protect citizens from harmful falsehoods while maintaining space for legitimate debate.

The next OTS media forum will take place in Turkey, where member states are expected to continue developing strategies to address platforms operating outside national jurisdictions, strengthen public trust, and pursue regional cooperation that individual countries cannot achieve alone.